Pakistan sent 55,000 workforce to Qatar under 100,000 quota

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has sent as many as 55,000 skilled and semi-skilled workforce to Qatar for prospective job opportunities in construction and other sectors since 2015.

Qatar had announced to hire 100,000 Pakistan’s workforce in 2015, the official sources told APP.

They said around 10,000 Pakistanis preceded to Qatar for various job opportunities in 2016 and 2017. However, the sources said, as many as 20,000 manpower was sent to Qatar during the last year.

"This figure saw hundred per cent surge due to the sincere efforts of Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis on foreign front,” they added.

They said around 8,800 Pakistanis went Qatar during the first five months of this year.

Now, the ministry was in contact with the authorities concerned in Qatar to fulfill the quota by this year end.

Last month, Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari had informed APP that his ministry was eying to double Qatar’s 100,000 quota for Pakistani workers.

Highlighting the government efforts on diplomatic front, he said Qatar has established three visa facilitation centres at Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, respectively to ensure swift processing of intending emigrants’ visas.

Bukhari said special facilitation centres were set up for the aspirants, who see Qatar as a prospective foreign job destination, to augment Pakistani manpower abroad, in addition to protect their rights abroad.