Minister says efforts for repatriated workers’ dues from Saudi Arabia gear up

Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Pir Syed Saddar uddin Shah Rashdi on Friday said that Government has geared up efforts for recovery of out-standing salaries and end service benefits of repatriated Pakistani workers from Saudi Arabia.

He said after the four-day official visit to Saudi Arabia he has held a promising meeting with his Saudi counterpart Minister for Labor and Social Development Ali bin Nasir Alafees in Jeddah and discussed the payment process of out-standing salaries and end service benefits of repatriated Pakistani workers, said a press release issued.

The minister said enhancement of manpower quota for Pakistan, accreditation of Pakistani Technical Institutes and work place safety assurance were also discussed. He further added that Saudi labor minister had assured an early resolution of out-standing and end service benefits issues as this matter relates to multinational workers, for which every country is pushing for.

It is worth mentioning that the four renowned companies M/S Binladin, M/S Oger, M/S Saad Trading and M/S Redico were declared defaulters resulting in the deprivation of thousands of workers from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and a number of Arab States of their jobs as well as salaries/end service benefits. M/S Binladin had paid all dues to the retrenched workers whereas the court cases against the remaining three companies are sub-judice as informed by the embassy.

The embassy of Pakistan further informed that labor department deputed a lawyer to plead the cases of repatriated workers. Besides, the representative of embassy also attends court hearings in order to pursue the cases. It was informed that lower court had decided the case in favor of workers and awarded fine of Saudi Riyals 3.9 million to M/S Saad Company, but the company management filed an appeal in higher court against the judgment, which is pending for adjudication.

Federal minister said that the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & HRD and OPF have been vigorously pursuing the matter of recovering out-standing salaries and end service benefits from the defaulted Saudi companies and in this connection Pakistan Embassy and consulate General Jeddah have been directed to ensure proper pursuance in the court of law in addition to the efforts being made by the diplomatic channel for early resolution of the cases.