Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OP&HRD), Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari visited Qatar on November, 29-30 2019. During the visit, he called on the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs of the State of Qatar H E Yousef bin Mohammed Al Othman Fakhroo, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al Thani Head of Regional Portfolio Qatar Investment Authority and Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive.
During the visit, SAPM attended the inaugural session of Overseas Employment Promoters Conference. He also co-chaired the 4th meeting of the Joint Committee on Labour.
The SAPM congratulated the Minister of ADLSA for the landmark labour reforms introduced by the Qatari Government in collaboration with International Labour Organization (ILO). He also expressed satisfaction on the worker friendly policies of the Qatari Government and overall working and living conditions of Pakistani workers.
He emphasized the need of digital connectivity of the two ministries which will bring a positive change in the existing recruitment mechanism. He also highlighted the potential of Pakistani workforce and urged his Qatari counterpart on expediting the intake of skilled Pakistani workers in the Labour Force of Qatar. He hoped that the two sides will actively engage with each other for enhancing Pakistani workforce in Qatar. The SAPM also requested the Qatari Labour Minister for opening Qatar Visa Centres in Peshawar and Lahore.
The Special Assistant later visited Asian Town Labour Camp in Industrial area. He was briefed on the facilities provided to the labour especially the medical, lodging, dining and recreational facilities. He was shown around the camp and the facilities. He also met a group of Pakistani workers staying at the camp. He listened to their issues and assured them of all possible help from the government and more particularly from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis.
