How many Pakistanis left abroad for employment in year 2023?
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Islamabad: Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Ehsan Ul Haq Bajwa, announced on Wednesday that the government has successfully facilitated the employment of 860,000 Pakistanis abroad in 2023. This information was shared during a session of the National Assembly, as reported by ARY News.
Addressing concerns raised through a calling attention notice regarding the involvement of some individuals in begging activities abroad—particularly in Gulf countries—Bajwa emphasized that such incidents, often linked to agents or criminal networks, harm Pakistan’s image. He reassured the assembly that the Ministry's programs are designed with rigorous vetting processes to ensure that only qualified and credible candidates are sent abroad for employment.
Bajwa highlighted that the selection process for overseas employment strictly adheres to established criteria, significantly reducing the risk of those individuals being involved in unlawful activities such as begging. He noted that there is continuous communication between the Ministry, relevant authorities, and Pakistani embassies abroad. So far, no reports have surfaced from any institution suggesting that individuals sent under these programs are engaging in begging.
Furthermore, Bajwa stated that if any Pakistani is found involved in begging overseas, the matter will be dealt with severely under the 1979 Ordinance, with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) tasked with investigating and pursuing legal action against such cases.
He clarified that the Ministry is only responsible for facilitating the legal employment of individuals abroad and is not involved with those traveling for Umrah, student visas, personal visits, or pilgrimages. Additionally, the Bureau of Immigration has initiated a campaign to address this issue, while the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the FIA, is actively targeting agents responsible for facilitating illegal activities.
