Islamabad, the 5th January, 2017: The Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development met today. The Meeting was presided over by Ms. Aisha, MNA.

The Qatar Government will recruit additional 100,000 skilled and unskilled Pakistani workers which had been decided during the visit of Prime Minister of Pakistan to Qatar in February, 2016.

The committee recommended that the National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) should be abolished for the overseas workers in Gulf Countries Club (GCC) countries. In addition, the committee was informed that there are 78 Pakistani prisoners detained in Saudi jails for minor crimes.

The Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) had sent 6189 Pakistani workers to Republic of Korea and 5742 to other countries during the last 10 years. Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment informed the committee that only 417 persons went to Turkey for employment from 1971- 2016.

Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, Syed Sajid Mehdi, Mian Najeebuddin Awaisi, Ms. Sabiha Nazir, Ms. Musarat Rafique Mahesar, Ms. Suraiya Jatoi, Sheikh Salahuddin, Sardar Kamal Khan Bangulzai, Mr. Nasir Khan MNAs and Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi Minister for Overseas Pakistanis & HRD attended the meeting, besides officials of Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development.