Does our government have no faith in itself to provide citizens with jobs that it sent hundreds of recent graduates to a foreign country so that a foreign government could provide for them?
It is frightening that it is so easy for governments and armies to treat fellow humans in such an inhumane manner. We also ponder why these skilful men were promised jobs — and essentially, a more secure future — but instead, were welcomed only to be mistreated. A similar scenario played out in Saudi Arabia last month, where 700 Pakistanis — who are still stranded in the Kingdom — were abandoned after having their passports confiscated, rendering them unable to work. Visas for these men were issued under fraudulent conditions by private companies, whereas, in this latest incident, the visas were issued by the Pakistani government. The Bahrain Army should be held responsible for subjecting the young men to torture but the Pakistani government must also be questioned about sending its citizens into such abusive conditions.
Does our government have no faith in itself to provide citizens with jobs that it sent hundreds of recent graduates to a foreign country so that a foreign government could provide for them? The enthusiasm of seeing Pakistan’s youth become successful academically is missing from our government, which in turn will demotivate younger generations of students in terms of future career prospects. The government needs to help these stranded citizens in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. A crackdown on agencies granting illegal visas and making false promises should also be in order, along with a review of the government’s own actions that allowed the injustice in Bahrain to take place.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2013.
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There is something amiss in the Bahrain story Pakistani government cannot provide Bahraini visas only government of Bahrain can. It is unclear who promised them jobs in the Bahrain army but whoever did - that is the person who is responsible to a large extent for the mess. It is also unclear why Bahrain government would torture Pakistanis who had reached Bahrain with the incorrect notion that some army job awaited them. Why not simply repatriate them? There is something missing in the narrative which appears to be illogical.
With regards to Saudi Arabia what happened is common in India and Pakistan. Som tout took money for offering a job fraudulently when no job existed. Naturally therefore as far as Saudi Arabia is concerned these people need to go back to Pakistan since no job really exists for them. The dispute is between the tout and these jobseekers and to the extent possible, Pakistan government should help the job seekers in getting back the money that they were defrauded. It is unclear why the editor feels these people have a right to continue living in working in Saudi Arabia.
great pity. by the way what kind of job they were "HIRED" to do for Bahrain? hope not for "TEACHING LESSON" to people of Bahrain asking for their rights.
All countries that are victims of abuse in Middle Eastern countries (including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Phillipines, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan) need to band together and boycott these hypocritical governments...for their sub-standard treatment of vulnerable foreign workers.