Careem asked to employ returning expats in transport service

January 21, 2019: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Syed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari on Monday asked the CEO of Careem Pakistan, for absorbing returning expatriates in their transport business after providing them necessary training.

He floated the idea during a meeting with Junaid Iqbal, CEO of the online cab service, to discuss ways and means for capturing ever-growing online market gaining popularity with each passing day.

“The manpower coming back to Pakistan should be trained and employed by Careem,” Zulfikar said in a press release.

They discussed possibilities to create more jobs in online job market and deliberated on the measures required to facilitate Pakistani expatriates in and outside the country. They also agreed to evolve a mechanism for providing incentives to expatriates, especially those having Overseas Pakistanis Foundation’s card.

The SAPM said the Careem should introduce a special discount package for the overseas Pakistanis in their online service during their stay in Pakistan.

Expressing his resolve to facilitate the Pakistani diaspora in relevant domains, the CEO underlined the role of government in regularizing e-business in the country.

Junaid Iqbal apprised the SAPM about the modus operandi of the Careem and highlighted the issues being faced by the company in the country pertaining to different duties, route permits and licensing of their vehicles and captains.

He also stressed the need for making e-laws to regulate all forms of online businesses, claiming that the online marketplace may create two million shops by 2023.

To this, Zulfikar Bukhari admitted that the rules and regulations to handle e-commerce in Pakistan were not at par with the developed countries.

He assured the Careem CEO that the government was cognizant of the factual position and working on the subject to regulate e-business in the country.

He also suggested a new online payment system for the expatriates to send their remittances back to the country through which Pakistani diaspora could also make investments and get a market compatible rate in return, additionally.

Junaid informed the SAPM that 80 per cent Careem captains in Dubai were of Pakistani origins. While in Saudi Arabia, around 8 percent of the limo drivers were Pakistanis who brought 20 per cent of the rides to Careem, he said.

He also briefed the SAPM of the Careem’s future endeavors and informed him about the company’s new policy of promoting public private partnership for human resource development and national progress.

(APP)