Plan Afoot To Relocate 4 Attaches From Europe To Gulf States : Secretary OP & HRD, Pervaiz Janjua

Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was considering to relocate its four Community Welfare Attaches (CWAs) from European countries to Gulf states, aimed at redressing issues of maximum Pakistani diaspora there

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2019 ) :Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was considering to relocate its four Community Welfare Attaches (CWAs) from European countries to Gulf states, aimed at redressing issues of maximum Pakistani diaspora there.

The attaches were being transferred to Gulf states as a part of the ministry's strategic plan to cover those areas, keeping high density of overseas Pakistanis, said Secretary OP & HRD, Pervaiz Janjua while taking to APP on Wednesday.

The ministry's spokesperson, confirming the move, said the CWAs at Athens (Greece), Milan (Italy), Barcelona (Spain) and New York (United States) were likely to be moved to the Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

He said that the Pakistan Citizen Portal showed that around 1,000 complaints, out of over 1,800, were received from the Gulf and the middle East states while only two and one complaints were forwarded by the CWAs of New york and Barcelona respectively in the last two months.

The Secretary said at present, only four CWAs were handling around 2.6 million manpower working in Saudi Arabia, adding that "Now the number will be extended from four to six." However, he said their place for relocation was in process.

To a query, he said this was the prerogative of the incumbent government to decide an increase in the number of attaches. Though, the department required more CWAs to see the affairs of over 7.6 millions of overseas Pakistanis but there was no plan in sight to post new Community Welfare Attaches abroad," he added.

Pervaiz said the CWAs served three years term in office and their performance was being monitored on monthly basis. "We provide counseling to those CWAs who could not deliver as per the aspirations of the overseas Pakistanis, he added.

Previously, he said the ministry had outsourced the hiring process of CWAs to the Lahore University of Management Sciences which was now conducting their written tests. They were being appointed on merit, he added.

Expressing satisfaction over the better functioning of different CWAs , the Federal secretary said, "they monthly submit their performance sheet which helps the department to evaluate their working, carrying number of jobs ensured for expats, visits to the jailed expats, complaints redressal rate and other tasks.

To another query, the secretary said the attaches might be facing shortage of resources for making arrangements to pay compensation to release imprisoned expats. They were getting full support of the government in holding negotiation with different companies' employees for export of Pakistani manpower and dealing with authorities concerned regarding jailed expats issues, he added.

The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and concerned minister also showed keen interest to repatriate deserving imprisoned overseas Pakistanis and in this regard, the proposal had been forwarded to the competent authority for final approval.

He said they were determined to enure utilization of this cash in transparent manners and bring back only the deserving Pakistanis.

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