Covid-19 outbreak: Over 0.2 million Pakistanis unable to go abroad

ISLAMABAD: Over 0.2 million Pakistanis were unable to go to abroad due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this was claimed by Chairman Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoter Association (POEPA) Sarfaraz Zahoor Cheema, former chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal and central executive committee in media briefing here on Sunday.

Sarfaraz Zahoor Cheema also accused that we have completed all the formalities and government inspite of indulging in blame game and creating hurdles, help us in sending people abroad.

He also said that Overseas Pakistani are worried about their jobs security due to Covid-19, however the government is doing nothing to mitigate the problems of Pakistanis. Presently overseas Pakistani is sending around 20 to 22 billion dollar annually and if the government gives us an industry status then we can double the remittance in one year.

In addition to this, the overseas employment promoters are contributing an important role in economic revival however he complained that the PTI government has helped almost all the sectors except the overseas promoter.

Chairman said that the overseas promoter has sent more than 10 million manpower abroad and especially we have sent 0.9 million people abroad in just two years and ironically, the government is taking credit for this. He also questioned the government to tell how much manpower was sent abroad in two years.

He said that this sector is collapsing as there is no work in the last six month and if the government supervises then we can enhance the foreign reserves by sending thousands of people abroad.

Chairman claimed that Pakistan could not send thousands of people to Qatar due to ill-conceived policies and if these policies continue then we are also deprived of sending manpower to Japan, Europe, Gulf, Canada and other countries.

Sarfaraz Cheema also vowed that we want to do work with new determination after the COVID -19 and we have a plan to send manpower not only to those countries where they are already working but also the new places. Chairman also said that the government should also establish a desk in every mission in order to facilitate the workers.

He also requested the government especially the Special Assistant to Prime Minister Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari to declare overseas promoter an industry and also take into confidence in community welfare attaché posting in mission abroad.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020