ISLAMABAD – The group of workers in Saudi Arabia have urged the authorities including the Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to extend help in getting the E-number.
In this regard, Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association (POEPA) Vice President Adnan Paracha has written a letter to Foreign Minister on International Labour Day to draw his attention to the problem being faced by thousands of Pakistani labourers trying to travel to Saudi Arabia.
According to the text of the letter, E-number is not being issued to thousands of Pakistani workers for obtaining Saudi visa in various categories putting them at risk of losing the employment opportunities because of the delays in the visa process.
The POEPA official highlighted that thousands of medical reports are about to expire as a result of the non-issuance of the number and if expired, it will put additional burden of new medical tests on thousands of workers seeking employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
“Saudi Arabia is a close friend of Pakistan and it has always helped Pakistan,’ he said while urging the foreign minister to address the issue on priority as the e-number has not been issued for four months.
Drivers, private employees, general workers, construction workers, hairdressers, welders, farmers’ machinery drivers and LTV drivers, Petrol and diesel mechanics, electricians and painters, and plumbers travel to the holy land in search of better employment oppurtnities and they are at risk of losing the oppurtunity in the backdrop of the delay being caused, mmnews reported.
“Since Bilawal Bhutto has always prioritized the problems of underprivileged, he is hereby requested on Labour’s Day to resolve this issue with the Saudi government immediately,” he said.
It bears mentioning that thousands of Pakistanis travel to Gulf countries and many of them end up in Saudi Arabia which is revamping its visa system to facilitate Hajj and Umrah pilgrims; however, skilled labour decries the process for work permit or Iqama which they claim is exploitative and should be revamped as well.
In recent months, thousands of Pakistanis have preferred traveling abroad as the country faces worst inflation due to balance of payment crisis besides the fact that no financial support has been extended by the International Monetary Fund as of now.
