‘Kuwait, Qatar agree to enhance manpower import from Pakistan’
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis Ghulam Sarwar Khan Monday said Kuwait and Qatar have agreed to import more manpower of all categories from Pakistan in future to meet their local needs.
Addressing a news conference here he said he held talks with Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser Muhammad Al Ahmad al Sabah during his visit to Kuwait to explore additional manpower opportunities. The Minister said Pakistan had already evolved mechanism to ensure transparency and foolproof system for intending migrants to both the Arab countries.
Ghulam Sarwar said anyone who intends to travel to Kuwait and Qatar must obtain machine readable passports, computerized identity card and police clearance certificate.
The government has addressed security concerns of both the countries who were now more than willing to import Pakistani manpower to meet growing needs of their local industries. The Minister said around 12 million Pakistani workers have been engaged in various fields in Kuwait in public and private sector, where their employers also acknowledged their services.
He said he also held talks with Speaker Kuwait National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Interior and Defence and Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, who all have assured to gear up process of importing skilled, semi- skilled workers and professionals from Pakistan. The Minister said the Qatar government has also agreed to increase manpower quota for Pakistan and would soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding import of manpower during forthcoming visit of Amir of Qatar to Pakistan in January next year.
He said a delegation of Qatar officials would visit Pakistan next month to discuss and finalize the contents of a draft MoU. Ghulam Sarwar said brotherly and bilateral relations with both the countries were everlasting and would further grow.
The Minister said during his visit he addressed the Pakistani and local business community in Kuwait and Qatar, which assured to participate in the upcoming overseas Pakistanis investment conference.
Answering a question he said some 242 Pakistanis were facing trial on charges of drugs trafficking in Kuwait while 76 in Qatar were allegedly involved in minor cases. All these persons did not have employment visas and they had entered the countries on visit visas.
To another question, he said some fake colony developers sometimes attracted overseas Pakistanis through advertisements and so they should take maximum care before investing in any project at home. He e said all the Pakistani embassies and missions have been extending help to overseas Pakistanis to solve their problems.
Henceforth importers would present an undertaking ensuring that Pakistanis employed by a country would only work there, he said, in reference to some nationals who were killed in Iraq where they were sent from Kuwait.
The Minister said a Pakistani delegation would visit Muscat early next month to review the measures taken to prevent human smuggling from Pakistan.