Several Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, have raised serious concerns over the conduct of Pakistani migrants and labour force, a Geo News report said.
The issue was raised by Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Dr Arshad Mahmood at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad, where he said several Gulf countries have raised objections to the behaviour of overseas Pakistanis.
Dr Arshad said that work ethic, work behaviour and criminal activities of Pakistanis are big issues. He said that Pakistanis are involved in 50 per cent of crimes in the UAE as reported by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
He said a worrying issue has been raised by these countries, pointing to the “inappropriate” behaviour of Pakistanis in the UAE, including making videos in front of women in Dubai.
Kuwait has raised an issue regarding Pakistani nurses who are reportedly refusing to perform certain job-related duties and instead pressuring ward boys for regular day-to-day activities. Moreover, they do not try to learn the local language but instead want to go to Europe after staying in the country for only six months.
Meanwhile, according to officials of the Overseas Pakistanis Ministry, Qatar has complained that Pakistani workers are refusing to wear safety helmets while working.
Earlier in September 2023, officials had said that Pakistani beggars travel to countries like Iraq and Saudi Arabia on the pretext of ‘ziarat’ (pilgrimage) and then indulge in activities related to begging.
According to official figures, 90 percent of the beggars arrested in these countries are Pakistani citizens.
Moreover, officials said around 2 million Pakistanis are living in Saudi Arabia and 400,000 visit the country every year.
Meanwhile, officials said Saudi Arabian authorities have asked Pakistanis not to send “beggars and sick people”.
Officials said Pakistanis come to Malaysia for a year and if they stay there for a long time, they are sent to jail.
Meanwhile, Senator Nasir Abbas also informed the forum that Pakistanis are “helpless” in Iraq as they are used as cheap labour and are kept as “prisoners” there.
The ministry said that these countries are now looking towards African countries for cheap labour.
To tackle this adverse situation regarding the future of Pakistani labour force in GCC countries, the ministry is compiling data regarding job availability and opportunities in different countries, officials said.
He said a cabinet committee has been formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif for matters related to immigration.