ISLAMABAD: A Qatari delegation led by Major Abdullah Khalifa Al Muhanadi, Director Management of Recruitment Support Services, called on Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari alias Zulfi Bukhari, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development at his office today.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed different issues including the proposed 100,000 jobs for Pakistanis in Qatar.
The delegation informed Mr Bukhari that Qatar’s Visa Facilitation Centers will be fully operational in Karachi and Islamabad by December, this year. The visa centers will speed up the process of issuance of visa as fees to be incurred during the process of hiring will be paid by employers.
Moreover, Pakistani workers will be protected under the wages protection system of Qatar.
Mr. Bukhari proposed the formation of a joint working team that could work on the categorisation of Pakistani workers and the skills that Qatari employers need. This joint team will work on a mechanism to systematize the hiring process for Pakistanis, he added.
The delegation assured him that Qatari recruitment agencies are being pursued to hire Pakistani workers as part of the 100,000 jobs drive. The recruitment agencies of Qatar will also organise workshops to hire skilled workers from Pakistan.
As proposed, the joint team will also work on the adjustment of Pakistanis coming back from Saudi Arabia in Qatar.
The PM’s special assistant emphasized the need for early completion of recruitment of 100,000 Pakistani workers as per the commitment made by the Qatari government.
He further requested for more jobs to be given to Pakistanis in addition to the already committed 100,000 visas. He also suggested the Qatari government to establish visa centers at Peshawar and Lahore in addition to Islamabad and Karachi.
The Qatari delegation assured Mr Bukhari that the matter will be taken up with the Qatar government and extended an invitation to him to visit Qatar.
