Doha, 18 January 2024 (TDI): To expand labor cooperation between Pakistan and Qatar, the Honorable Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM), focusing on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (HRD), Jawad Sohrab, engaged in fruitful discussions with Qatar’s Minister of Labor, HE Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri.
Jawad Sohrab visits Qatar on the invitation of Minister of Labour Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri to explore the opportunities Qatar’s fast-growing economy offers Pakistani manpower. He met the Minister of Labour and signed letters of intent with two private companies for the recruitment of Pakistani manpower.
“The focus of the meeting with the Minister of Labour was for us to avail ourselves of the opportunities that Qatar has for Pakistanis, in particular our workforce. It was a very fruitful meeting. We discussed the possibilities of increasing our manpower in Qatar,” Jawad Sohrab stated.
Qatar’s Initiatives
The initiatives taken by Qatar in a past few years were also praised by him. He added that a better quality of life and higher financial compensation were making Qatar a preferred destination for Pakistani workers. He appreciated the Pakistani community not only for playing a huge role in Qatar’s development but also for positively contributing to the Pakistani economy in the form of remittances.
More than 100,000 Pakistanis came to work in Qatar in 2022 and 2023, and Pakistan is keen to increase this number, especially in the skilled workforce.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister informed me that he will sign letters of intent with six to eight employers in Qatar during his visit.
“We need to upskill our individuals, raise the demand, skill them according to the demand, and then have avenues where we can send out this workforce. And those avenues will only come when we sign these independent agreements with all of these employers.”
He further informed the media that the areas they are focusing on in their talks with employers in Qatar include construction, hospitality, healthcare, and oil and gas.
The construction industry has traditionally employed the majority of the foreign workforce in the GCC countries, but going forward, more jobs will be created in the services sector.
Future Collaboration and Skill Alignment
Jawad Sohrab mentioned that the government is also focusing on aligning skill education in Pakistan with the requirements of the global job market
“We are working in close collaboration with Pakistan’s National Vocational and Technical Training Commission, and we are ensuring that the courses they impart to the labor force in Pakistan align and are compatible with the demand that is raised internationally,” he said.
Additionally, he highlighted the significance of remittances sent by migrant workers by mentioning that Pakistan receives $27 billion in remittances every year, and Pakistani workers in Qatar remit $1 billion back home on average every year.
The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister stated that his ministry is submitting a proposal to the Cabinet of Pakistan. The proposal is to mandate language learning, specifically Arabic, for workers heading to countries like Qatar and other GCC nations to enhance skills, especially in the services sector.
Also Read: Pakistan and Qatar embraces bilateral IT collaboration
Pakistan Inks Pacts for Overseas Employment
In a four-day expo of the global labor market concluded in Riyadh on December 27th, 2023, Pakistan signed a myriad of pacts with Saudi Arabia and international companies to boost employment opportunities abroad for the Pakistani workforce.
While underscoring the significance of the expo, Jawad Sohrab stated that the expo serves as a pivotal forum, bringing together human resources and recruitment companies alongside reliable and recognized labor services entities.
These agreements are more likely to pave the way for the Pakistani workforce in a number of sectors, such as construction, hospitality, information technology, the services industry, and various other fields globally, said the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister.
Additionally, Pakistan’s participation in international expo unlocks myriad prospects for Pakistan to exhibit the capabilities and potential of its labor force.
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