Pakistan leapfrogs India, BD in manpower export

ISLAMABAD:

Beating other regional players like Bangladesh and India in manpower export, Pakistan has emerged as “Manpower Export Leader” in the region by sending around 224,705 workers to various countries for job assignments in 2020, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Bangladesh sent 217,699 workers abroad and India 94,145 for employment purpose during the same period, said the Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OPHRD) Ministry while making comparison in a tweet.

Adding to the tweet, it said, "Pakistan becomes a Manpower Export Leader in the region despite the pandemic, leaving behind India and Bangladesh in the export of manpower in 2020."

According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan, launched by the government last week, more than 11.43 million Pakistanis had gone abroad for employment to more than 50 countries.

It said the migration of Pakistani workers was mostly concentrated to Gulf Cooperation Council countries (96%) with Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates hosting the majority.

However, due to Covid-19 pandemic, a declining trend was observed overall in terms of emigrants registered in 2020 including GCC countries, it mentioned, adding that Saudi Arabia was the main destination for Pakistani workforce where more than 60% of emigrants proceeded followed by UAE 24% and Oman 4.6%.

APP