ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development assisted over 258,000 Pakistanis to go to Saudi Arabia for prospective job opportunities in various sectors during the first 10 months of the year.
According to the data compiled by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, manpower export to Saudi Arabia registered a marked increase of 207 percent in 2019 as compared to last year when 84,091 Pakistanis went to the Kingdom.
Some 176,947 Pakistanis also found jobs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), exhibiting a nominal growth of 1.7 percent.
The number of Pakistani immigrants to Oman had also increased by 5.8 percent as 23,998 Pakistanis proceeded to the said country during the 10-month period as compared to 22,668 in the corresponding period of 2018.
An official source at the ministry told APP that the special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) on overseas Pakistanis and human resource development, Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, had held consultations with the relevant authorities in different states to augment the number of Pakistani workers abroad.
He said that Zulfi Bukhari had formally requested the Saudi authorities to enhance the number of Pakistani workers in the multi-billion-dollar project, the New Taif City.
He said that Saudi Arabia had also extended an offer for Pakistan’s manpower export through “Musaned,” a digital platform launched by the Kingdom to facilitate labor recruitment process and ensure the protection of workers’ rights.
The process would take some months and after that the Pakistani workforce would be sent to Saudi Arabia through the online platform, he added.
The official said the ministry was also in the process of linking up its digital portal with the UAE to set up a direct link between its intending immigrants and foreign employers.
The initiative would eventually minimize the middle man’s role in the recruitment process, he added, and help the country train its workforce as per the international markets’ requirements.
He said the UAE ministry of human resources and Emiratization had offered to give access to its labor market’s database to Pakistan which would provide updated information of job opportunities in the UAE.
Sharing details of the recent visit of Zulfi Bukhari to Qatar, he said that the SAPM had held a fruitful meeting with Qatar’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Yousaf Mohamed-Al-Othman Fakhroo, and highlighted the potential of the Pakistani workforce.
Bukhari also urged the Qatari minister to expedite the public sector recruitment in the health and energy sectors.
During the meeting, the SAPM also emphasized the need for digital connectivity between the two ministries, which would make the recruitment mechanism more efficient.
Pakistani manpower export to Saudi Arabia goes up by 207 percent
Pakistani manpower export to Saudi Arabia goes up by 207 percent
- A nominal growth of 1.7 percent was also recorded in the number of Pakistanis who found jobs in the UAE
- Officials say Zulfi Bukhari held meetings in different countries to increase the number of Pakistani workers overseas
Sri Lanka seal gritty T20 win over Pakistan to level series
- In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka scored 160 runs before choking Pakistan to 146-8
- The series saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game
Dambulla: Sri Lanka eked out a hard fought 14-run victory over Pakistan in the third T20 at rain-hit Dambulla on Sunday, easing their batting jitters and squaring the three-match series 1-1.
The series, a warm-up for the T20 World Cup with Pakistan set to play all their matches in Sri Lanka due to political tensions with nuclear-armed neighbors India, saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game.
“We were a bit worried about our batting and I’m glad we addressed that today,” said Wanindu Hasaranga, who walked away with both Player of the Match and Player of the Series honors.
“The bowlers did a good job too. The ball was wet and it wasn’t easy. We tried to bowl wide and slow and asked them to take risks.”
Hasaranga took four wickets in the game and in the process completed 150 wickets in T20Is.
In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka muscled their way to a competitive 160 before choking Pakistan to 146-8.
Having been bowled out inside 20 overs in the series opener, Sri Lanka needed a statement with the bat and duly ticked every box after being put in.
The top order laid the platform and the middle order applied the finishing touches.
Wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis made hay under the Power Play, blasting 30 off 16 balls while Dhananjaya de Silva (22 off 15) and Charith Asalanka (21 off 13) kept the scoreboard ticking.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka then swung the momentum decisively, clubbing 34 off just nine deliveries, peppered with five towering sixes.
The sixth-wicket stand between Shanaka and Janith Liyanage produced 52 runs in just 15 balls and proved the turning point, shifting the game firmly Sri Lanka’s way.
Pakistan came out swinging in reply, racing to 50 in just 19 balls with captain Salman Agha hammering 45 off 12 balls, including five fours and three sixes.
But once the field spread, Sri Lanka tightened the screws, applied the choke and forced the asking rate to spiral.
“It was a good game of cricket,” Agha said.
“We conceded too many runs, but our batting effort was good. Unfortunately, we fell short. We know we are going to play all our World Cup games in Sri Lanka and it’s important that we played in similar conditions,” he added.
