Pakistan

Over a quarter of a million Pakistani workers deported since 2013

Saudi Arabia tops among countries that sent back unwanted Pakistanis

Riazul Haq March 18, 2016

PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: Over a quarter of a million Pakistanis have been deported from 125 countries since 2013 when the PML-N government swept to power, the National Assembly was told on Thursday.

Some 140,393 or more than half of all the Pakistanis deported during this period were from Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates accounted for 23,330 explusions -- the second highest number of Pakistani deportations.

42 Pakistanis deported from UK arrive in Islamabad

Parliamentary Secretary Interior and Narcotics Marriyum Aurangzeb presented these figures in the National Assembly on Thursday, in reply to a question from MNA Sajida Begum.

According to official statistics, Saudi Arabia accounted for the highest number of Pakistani deportations. In 2013, the kingdom sent back 25,599 Pakistanis, 45,456 in 2014 and 61,403 in 2015. In 2016, the Saudi authorities expelled around 7,935 Pakistanis. The highest number of Pakistani expatriates work in Saudi Arabia.

Coming second in the list of countries that booted out unwanted Pakistanis was the United Arab Emirates which sent home around 23,330 green passport holders.

The United Kingdom has deported around 7,777 Pakistanis since 2013, while 358 were expelled from the United States during the said period.

Other countries that deported a significant number of Pakistanis include South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Russian Federation, Germany and Bahrain.

Reasons

MNA Sajida Begum asked Marriyum Aurangzeb if the Pakistani deportees were sent back without any logical reason. The parliamentary secretary replied that among the several reasons for deportation was illegal documentation, overstay, passport and other issues. “Nobody is deported without any reason,” she said.

NA revelations : ‘257,433 Pakistanis deported since 2012’

She said the government formulated the first-ever deportation policy of the country and drafted a database had started functioning in the Federal Investigation Authority.

Salaries of MNAs

Otherwise a dull day of business in the house piqued the interest of MNAs when Sajida Begum asked Parliamentary Secretary Finance Rana Afzal about a possible salary hike for members.

“Well, I cannot answer as if and when this is done I will also benefit,” said Afzal with a smile. Maulana Amir Zaman took no time in stating that the total package they were getting was Rs70,000 inclusive of all allowances. “It is quite difficult to run the house with such a meagre salary as we have to pay rent, utility bills and food for our children,” he said to which the speaker asked Rana Afzal for a response.

The parliamentary secretary on finance said that he would forward to the finance ministry, whatever the speaker recommended.

“I would if the ministry fell under the National Assembly,” he replied candidly.

It was then Aftab Sherpao who rose angrily, blaming Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for lying before the house to increase the salaries of lawmakers. Jamshed Dasti also chipped in to add that he was the poorest member of the assembly and lived in a rented house and travelled by bus.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (8)

Zaida Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply "Pakistan has over 60 % population of 29 years and below" That may be true but very few of them have an education. If only families laid stress on education as much as they do religion !

Sunil | 8 years ago | Reply LOL

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NHA | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistan has over 60 % population of 29 years and below. It is an economic resource provided it is trained and equipped with skills. One area where all past governmnets including present one have failed is training and skill building of the youth and a long-term strategy to place trained personnel abroad in good jobs with proper tenure security and protection. In the absence of such measures, Pakistanis will continue to be deported on flimsy grounds and excuses. The laborers are orphans and are left at the mercy of employment agents, local police and Pakistani missions where they are most un-welcomed. An ambassador in a Western mission who rose to become foreign secretary will only come to office after 2 pm when local Pakistanis who had come there for consular services had left the mission premises. He could not stand their sight yet was elevated to this high position.

zaheer | 8 years ago | Reply The only thing on which the opposition and treasury are on the same page is the issue of salaries of MNAs. These members oppose and accuse each other on every issue but whenever there is an issue of perks and privileges or a salaries they stand united and pass the bill unanimously no matter who is opposition or who is in treasury. They all claim that they have joined politics to serve the nation and one of its member Amir Zaman said that “It is quite difficult to run the house with such a meagre salary as we have to pay rent, utility bills and food for our children, he is so innocent that he does'nt know that the government has announced minimum wage Rs 13000/= for ordinary people and there are thousands of people who are drawing salary of 13000/ or under 13000/= are these people are not human All in all one thing is quite clear that in the eyes of politicians we people of Pakistan are only voters, voters, voters and voters and we do not have right to educate our children, avail proper health facility and make our lives comfortable.

bigsaf | 8 years ago | Reply

“Nobody is deported without any reason,”

Not entirely true. Sometimes without decency there is no good reason or explanation given by the Gulf authorities to the migrants. They've also increased the deportation of Pakistani sectarian minorities as well.

iPay | 8 years ago | Reply OMG! Bare R70,000 is a primitive salary compare to the judges and lawyers income. Gov't indirectly is pushing the MNA's to do illigal tactics to gain income. That's how it starts. Why small constable, postal worker level employees rarely get the kind of raise higher ups in Gov'y gets? I like The gov't to urgently raise MNA"s salary and along with tax the rich and tighten the theft and the robbery from National Treasury. Atleast these peoples are seen working haRD COMPARE TO THE LATER.

Usman | 8 years ago | Reply This is all thanks to the brotherly relationship that PMLN and Raheel Sharif have fostered with KSA, so we can act as a gun for hire for them.

Jameel ur Rasheed | 8 years ago | Reply and the resolution for increase in salaries of legislators was passed unanimously!

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