ISLAMABAD: Responding to a surge of fake posts advertising jobs in the UAE, Pakistan’s government issued a warning to its nationals seeking jobs in the Middle East.
Through a post on Twitter, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD) shared screen grabs of “fake” Dubai-based job adverts, advising people not to make any payments to the firms.
“Beware: Illegal Advertisement for Foreign Jobs. People are advised to not fall for these scams. Stay tuned for updates. Action initiated against the gang,” the MOPHRD tweeted on Monday.
According to the state-run news agency, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) had barred 12 foreign recruiting firms from hiring Pakistani workforce in June this year “for not ensuring the promised jobs, timely and agreed salaries, besides issuance of fake visas.”
In June this year, both Pakistan and the UAE agreed to set up a joint platform to facilitate overseas Pakistani workers.
Under the joint initiative, both countries agreed on the need for Pakistani workers to sign an ‘employment job offer’ with the UAE-based employer before moving to the UAE, in order to avoid any fraud and job scams.
According to official statistics, more than 1.6 million Pakistani expatriates live in the UAE and work in different public and private departments and the remit over $4 billion annually to the country.
Pakistan warns scammers against advertising fake jobs in the UAE
Pakistan warns scammers against advertising fake jobs in the UAE
- Says action against bogus recruiting agents has been initiated.
- Around 12 foreign recruiting firms were barred from hiring Pakistani workforce in June this year.
Pakistan, US agree joint operations against fake visa networks
- Mohsin Naqvi says full-scale crackdown underway against illegal travel to US
- US and Pakistan to expand cooperation in law enforcement and police training
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States on Saturday agreed to carry out joint operations against fake and fraudulent visa networks, according to an official statement released in Islamabad, as the two countries seek to curb illegal immigration and strengthen law enforcement cooperation.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and US Chargé d’affaires Natalie Baker. The talks also covered bilateral relations, pre-immigration clearance mechanisms and expanded coordination between government agencies.
“It was decided that joint operations will be conducted against fake and fraudulent visa networks under comprehensive SOPs,” said the statement circulated by the Interior Ministry, referring to standard operating procedures that will guide coordinated action between authorities.
Pakistan has stepped up scrutiny of travel and migration channels to deal with any forged documents and unauthorized agents facilitating illegal travel. Naqvi said the government was pursuing a zero-tolerance approach toward such networks and that he was personally overseeing enforcement efforts.
“Emphasizing that illegal immigration is a serious issue, he said a full-scale crackdown is underway against those attempting to go to the United States illegally,” the statement said, adding that “due to effective government measures, illegal immigration has declined by 47 percent, and those involved in fake documentation networks deserve no leniency.”
The interior minister also said Pakistan had introduced modern technology to make passports more secure, part of broader efforts to tighten controls and reduce document fraud.
The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation at multiple levels, including police training and coordination among law enforcement agencies, the statement said, as part of wider efforts to address cross-border crime and migration challenges.
The US diplomat said Washington attached special importance to relations with Pakistan and that closer cooperation would help strengthen bilateral ties, according to the interior ministry.
