250 skilled workers from Punjab will leave for Qatar in July:Raja Ashfaq Sarwar

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Labour & Human Resource, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar has said that first consignment of labour force comprising 250 skilled workers from Punjab will leave for Qatar in July this year.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif will send this consignment from Lahore, he added. A delegation led by Labour Minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar will visit Qatar from May 24 to 26. He said that two lakh skilled and semi skilled workers will be sent abroad from Punjab during next four years for the completion of construction projects of Qatar, Dubai and other gulf states.

He said that on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, a strategy is being evolved for the provision of facilities like identity card, passport, visa, security clearance and vaccination to the skilled and unskilled workers going abroad under One Window Operation for Punjab Overseas Labour.

He said that 1.4 million skilled workforce has been demanded from all over the world for FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and construction of infrastructure, stadiums, city rail, hotels and other construction projects.

He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting of steering committee constituted by Chief Minister for demand based training courses and provision of skilled workforce to labour market of Qatar, Dubai and other gulf countries at Social Security Head Office today.

Chairman TEVTA Irfan Qaiser Sheikh, Consultant USAID Sajjad Mughal, Director HRS Global Syed Fakhar Ahmed, Dr. Javed Gul, Col. (R) Aamir Hassan, Managing Director Punjab Vocational Training Council Sajid Latif Khan, Ali Akbar Bosan Chief Operating Officer Punjab Skill Development Fund besides representatives of TEVTA, Punjab Vocational Training Council and PSDF were also present on the occasion.

The Minister said that Qatar and Dubai governments have demanded Pakistani skilled workers for infrastructure especially construction projects under which two lakh skilled and semi skilled labour force is expected to get best wages. He directed TEVTA, Punjab Vocational Training Council and other institutions to hold training courses in accordance with the needs of these countries under crash training programme for this purpose.

He said that government and private sector will provide training to two lakh skilled and semi skilled workers during next four years for providing them opportunities at international labour market which will result in generating new job opportunities, bringing foreign exchange of more than 60 billion rupees annually to Pakistan and raising living standard of more than 20 lakh persons of workers’ families. He said that social security facility will be ensured to the families of skilled workers going abroad.

He said that Punjab government will also set up labour camps in these countries for guidance and provision of assistance in emergent situation to these skilled workers. He said that Qatar and Dubai governments need manpower including Computer Operators, Paramedics, Carpenters, Steel Fixers, Masons, Welders, Heavy Duty Drivers, Crane Operators, Machine Motor Mechanics, Plumbers, Shovel Operators and other skilled workers for its infrastructure and all arrangements have been made for providing training in special vocational training institutes of Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and Lahore.

He said that the demand of such a large number of skilled and unskilled workers in international labour market will help increase economic development and provide job opportunities to them.