In a recent session of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, it was revealed that Pakistanis are responsible for nearly 50% of the crime rate among the labor force in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The committee, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, convened at the Parliament House on Tuesday to address pressing issues related to overseas Pakistani workers and the domestic labor force.
Senator Zeeshan Khanzada began the session by highlighting the untapped potential within the Overseas Pakistani and Human Resource Development sector, criticizing the government for its neglect. The committee was informed by ministry officials that Pakistan’s domestic labor force consists of 71.8 million people, while the diaspora includes 10.7 million individuals, primarily residing in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the US, the UK, and Canada.
Ministry officials noted a declining trend in the overseas employment of Pakistani labor, attributing this to modernization and advanced technology in host countries. They emphasized that a significant portion of the Pakistani labor force remains unskilled, leading to workers from other countries replacing them. The Secretary of the ministry lamented, “Moreover, there are issues like criminal activities among the Pakistani workforce abroad. For instance, 50% of the crime rate among the labor force in the UAE is reportedly attributed to Pakistanis.”
Efforts are underway to conduct orientation sessions for Pakistani immigrants to address these issues. The ministry officials praised the skilled labor from countries like Bangladesh and stressed the need for Pakistan to follow suit
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