Legalising workers: ‘Riyadh sets three-month deadline’

The foreign ministry would extend out all support to Pakistani employees.

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has given Pakistani labourers three months to get themselves legalised, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi said on Sunday. Rashdi informed the National Assembly that Saudi labour laws were very strict and they could not fight their laws. He said that the Pakistani envoy was in touch with the Saudi interior minister and the foreign ministry would extend all out support to Pakistani employees. The minister added that Pakistani employees sent through overseas promoters were also registered with the Pakistani mission and they were also issued cards. “The Saudi authorities sends all those employees to jails besides confiscating the passports of those who don’t have valid work permits,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2013.