Ordeal in Dammam: Stranded Pakistanis bank hopes on FO

Around 500 workers have not been paid by Saad Group.

ISLAMABAD: After facing hardships for over two months, the ordeal of stranded Pakistanis in the Saudi city of Dammam has finally been taken up at the top government level, with Pakistan deciding to approach Saudi Arabia with a view to solve their problems.

Pakistani workers have been trapped in Dammam for more than two months after the expiry of their work permit or Iqama. They have also not been paid their monthly salaries.

Around 500 Pakistanis are among 8,000 employees from different nationalities — including Saudis — who have not been paid salaries by M/s Saad Group of Companies, according to a Foreign Office statement issued here on Monday.

“The embassy of Pakistan is in touch with the Pakistani employees and the management of the company,” spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said.



He said the matter had also been taken up with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labour and Social Development of Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised the issue with the government of Saudi Arabia through the Saudi embassy in Islamabad.

“Representatives of the Pakistani Embassy have paid several visits to Dammam to meet Pakistani workers and raise the matter with the company management,” the spokesperson said.

The company management had assured the embassy that efforts were afoot to resolve the matter. Since some workers have filed their cases in the labour court, the company was waiting for the court’s verdict, according to the statement.

The spokesperson further said the embassy was also assisting Pakistani workers in the finalisation of their court cases.

“The embassy representatives along with the representatives of the workers have met with the judge of the relevant court for an early resolution of the matter.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh are making relentless efforts to ensure that Pakistani nationals are paid their dues and they are able to return to Pakistan, if they so desire,” the spokesperson said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2016.