Minister to visit Saudi Arab to resolve workers’ issues

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Pir Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi will travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to resolve the issues being faced by the Pakistani workers there.

An official source of the ministry said the minister will be accompanied by Managing Director Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Habibur Rehman Gillani during his visit.

The minister, in his five day visit, will hold meetings with the relevant Saudi ministers and governor and other high officials for resolving the issue of the Pakistani workers.

The visit of the minister is being arranged on the directives of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a total of 10,395 affected workers are residing in 20 camps in Riyadh, Jeddah, Taif and other places.

The workers are facing issues regarding their pending salaries, end of service benefits, renewal of Iqamas (residence permit), transfer of work permit and food.

The government has paid Rs50,000 cash amount to around 5,000 families each as per the available data through Pakistani Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

The rest of the families will be paid the amount as soon as the data is received. The affected people are being provided with food and medicine in their camps by the Pakistani Embassy.

Those who want to come back to Pakistan will be allowed by giving their power of attorneys to Pakistan Embassy so that they can get the amount afterwards through the embassy.

The workers, filing cases for their due rights, are being provided legal assistance as well as facility to hold meetings in labour courts.

Workers who want to find another job will be facilitated to find job in open market. Facilities will also be provided by the Pakistan Embassy for getting their Iqamas (residency permit) and work permits. The Saudi government had also extended cooperation to resolve the matter to a greater extent.