799 Pakistani workers reported dead abroad

Govt says PIA, OPF facilitate repatriation of bodies

ISLAMABAD:

Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Mohammad Awn Saqlain on Thursday said the government had a mechanism in place to repatriate the bodies of Pakistani workers who die abroad, with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) facilitating the process where its flights operate.

Responding to questions in the National Assembly, he said 799 bodies of Pakistani workers had been reported over the past two years, while the overall number of Pakistani citizens who died abroad was higher.

The figures presented to the House related specifically to Pakistani workers in countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, other Gulf states and European countries.

He said the government provided compensation of up to $1 million in cases of death or disability of eligible workers, according to the applicable mechanism.

The minister said PIA continued to facilitate the transportation of bodies from countries where the national airline operated.