Govt assures all-out efforts to help stranded Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia

Stranded Pakistanis reject insufficient food aid

ISLAMABAD: Minister for States and Frontiers Regions (SAFRON) Abdul Qadir Baloch on Wednesday assured the National Assembly that the government was utilising all resources to help over 8,000 Pakistani workers stranded in Saudi Arabia.

He was responding to a calling attention notice moved by Mir Aamir Ali Magsi, Murad Saeed and others about the Pakistani expatriates stranded in Saudi Arabia whom neither salaries have been paid for the last several months nor their work permits have been renewed by companies and failure of diplomatic mission there to take up the issue with their companies causing grave concern amongst the public.

Responding on behalf of adviser to the prime minister on foreign affairs, the minister said the government had serious concern and the issue is being raised at the highest level. He said around 8,000 Pakistanis were working in Oger Company of Saudi Arabia and general manager of the company had assured that they were trying to resolve the issue, adding the company would also provide air tickets and renew their contracts (Ikamas).

He said the prime minister had also directed the officials concerned to help expatriate Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia while the Foreign Office and our embassy in Riyadh are also engaged to resolve the issue.

He said around 2.1 million Pakistanis are working in Saudi Arabia which is one fourth of Pakistan’s 7.5 million total overseas manpower in the world. He said expatriate Pakistanis are not only supporting their families but also sending remittances to the country.

Murad Saeed and Amirullah Marwat of the PTI were critical of the Foreign Office and Pakistan Embassy in Saudi Arabia for not tackling the issue. The minister said strict action would be taken against all those officials who were found involved in not resolving issues of these expatriate workers.

Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Development Shafqat Hayat Khan on Wednesday said on the directions of prime minister, the government was taking measures to resolve the problems of Pakistani labourers in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking during the Question-Hour in the National Assembly, he said Pakistani ambassador in Riyadh is vigorously pursuing the matter with the Saudi authorities and managements of the companies concerned in this regard. Shafqat pointed out that facilitation centres had also been set up for them and efforts were underway for their settlement in Saudi Arabia or their safe return home.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Law and Justice, Zahid Hamid, on behalf of Commerce Minister informed the house that Pakistan and China are negotiating the second phase of Pak China Free Trade Agreement.

He said Pakistan had shared its concerns regarding the adverse impact of cheap imports from China on the local industry. He said both the sides are working to find an amicable solution. He also expressed the hope that transit bilateral and regional trade under China Pakistan Economic Corridor would increase. Answering a question, Zahid Hamid said Pakistan’s exports to UK had increased by about forty percent since 2013. He said as UK negotiated its withdrawal from EU GSP Plus facility in UK was likely to remain available for Pakistani exporters for another two years.

He pointed out that Pak-UK bilateral trade stood at 2.06 billion euros in 2015. He said Pakistan was also in the process of negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with UK to enhance bilateral trade.

Meanwhile, stranded Pakistani workers in Saudi Arabia have refused to accept aid sent by the Pakistani Embassy in Riyadh terming it a big joke. Reportedly, the government has sent a packet of onion, two packets of tomatoes, three packets of tea, and a can of oil, for 204 affectees.

Earlier Tuesday, the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that the government is making all-out efforts to help Pakistani employees of two companies in Saudi Arabia following instructions by the prime minister to provide necessary assistance to more than eight thousand Pakistanis.

Pakistani workers from two companies M/S Saad Trading and Contracting Company Al-Khabar (520 workers) and Saudi Oger (8000 workers) are currently facing problems in getting their salaries and end of service benefits. In addition the resident permits of many of the employees have not been renewed by the company. The companies do not refuse claims of their employees but they have not been able to pay their dues for several months. In the given circumstances most of the workers want to leave these companies but only after settling their dues.

There are around 520 workers from M/S Saad Trading and Contracting Company living in three camps Dessert camp, Al Azizia camp and Abqiaq Camp all located in the eastern region. Estimated number of affected Pakistanis in the Saudi Oger company is up to 8,000. Around 20% are living on their own while majority of them are living in various camps set up by the company in Riyadh, Damam, Jeddah, Taif and Makkah regions, the Foreign Office stated.

The FO further said ambassador is pursuing this matter with Deputy Foreign Minister Minister of Justice and Secretary Ministry of Labour and Governor of Eastern Province as well as the management of the companies concerned. Embassy teams have visited all the camps in Damam and provided food to the workers. The camps in Riyadh and Jeddah regions have been visited by the Community Welfare Attaches. Mission’s representatives have visited the labour court in Damam several times and have facilitated Pakistani work force in compiling claims for their dues and salaries. Saudi Oger management in Al Khobar has confirmed that the company food and other facilities in all its camps are being provided. The Saudi king has also issued a decree for urgent payment of dues to workers by Saudi Oger Company and resolve the situation.

The company will also facilitate those workers who wish to leave. The company would provide air tickets and renew their resident permits. Those who want to transfer their iqamas will also be facilitated. The officials of both the companies assured us that the companies are trying their best to resolve the problem, claimed the Foreign Office. The ministry has approved SAR 100,000 (equivalent to Pakistan Rs 2,785,000) from PCW&E Fund for providing relief to the workers by the embassy.