UAE, Pakistan to strengthen cooperation on jobs in post-Covid era
dubai — Pakistan and the UAE are looking to increase cooperation to give priority to Pakistani expatriates in the post-Covid employment opportunities in the emirates, a top official has said.
Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, special assistant to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OP&HRD), said 36,000 Pakistanis had lost jobs in the UAE and Gulf region this year.
Bukhari was addressing a Press conference in Dubai on Thursday after meeting the UAE Minister for Human Resources and Emiratisation Naseer bin Thani Juma Al Hamli.
The advisor, who is on a two-day visit to the UAE, extended gratitude to the UAE Minister for providing intime support to Pakistan in such trying times.
“The number of people made redundant or became unemployed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are very less compared to the overall impact of Covid-19 in economies of the region. The UAE has managed to control the pandemic situation very well. The number of Pakistanis who lost their jobs are not big considering the millions of people living in the UAE,” he said.
Bukhari said the UAE authorities have assured that Pakistan will be among the favourable nations in post pandemic economy. “The government wants more skilled labour to be sent abroad,” he said, adding that about 30 per cent of skilled Pakistanis have got jobs in recent times.
Pakistanis who were terminated due to Covid-19 globally totalled 50,000-55,000 while only 5,000 were laid off in Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan’s remittances by overseas workers reached $23 billion in 201920 fiscal year. “It is a good indicator that remittances are stable and foreign direct investment has been improved by 40 per cent. It showed that Pakistan is on a safe track,” said Bukhari.
He praised the Pakistani missions in the UAE for handling the repatriation of 100,000 people since the outbreak of the pandemic.
“I commend the consulate and embassy for their role in managing the crisis with limited resources. I thank the well-off Pakistanis in the UAE who stepped forward and greatly donated in charity and ration distribution,” said Bukhari.
I thank the well-off Pakistanis in the UAE who stepped forward and greatly donated in charity and ration distribution.” Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, special assistant to Pakistan PM