A labourer works at a construction site in Riyadh. PHOTO: REUTERS
LAHORE: More than 4,000 Pakistani immigrant workers in Saudi Arabia are held in various detention centres across the kingdom for non-compliance with new labour laws that were introduced last year, Express News reported on Sunday.
In a video obtained by Express News, Pakistani men held in one of such detention centres said that their Arab sponsors demand approximately $4,000 to $5,300 to sign documents without which they cannot have proper residence permits. In the video, detainees also expressed their frustration about their living conditions.
Many Pakistanis who were living in Saudi Arabia at the time these new laws were introduced had paid hefty sums, sometimes more than $6,000, to have a valid visa to Saudi Arabia.
The Associated Press of Pakistan reported late January that the status of more than 950,000 Pakistani workers affected by the legislation had been regularised but many still remained without proper documentation.
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But we are more interested in a foreign confessed terrorist Afia. Why waste time and energy on these thousands of poor laborers who have no money or lobby in Pakistan. I can challenge those supporting SA's Draconian laws against poor nations, that in no country in the world Pakistanis make less average wages than SA and UAE. If the same number of Pakistanis were living in a western country not only they would have great political powers but also lot more wealth and freedom.
pakistani not treated good in saudiarabia. The pakistani brotherly worker you welcome to best friend china to work. we treat you like our own worker no discriminte like saudi.
The lion of Punjab cannot be bothered with trivial things. He is busy selling the country. And getting his cuts and percentages. Just keep sending remittances. He gets his share from those too. There is a new rule in effect. : TLEFH Tough Luck Everyone For Himself.
These greedy people deserve it.
And we are still giving Saudis acres of Pakistani land as gifts.
Slaves of the Arabs. Am I Lying?
i think itis time for pakistn to invade and occupy the KSA. we are nuclear power and this will solve all ourr problems.
Saudis only like our "hukmaran" and not the general public. Thats why hukmaran get assylam there and public is blown to smithreens at home in Pakistan.
Its ok Arabs are better Muslims than Pakistanis and Pakistanis are servant types anyway so whats the problem?
Saudis do not have labor laws., They have a system of institutionalized slavery that they try to pass off as labor laws. Unfortunately enough the governments of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and host of other countries would never say a word in defense of these poor souls.
@DaK: You live there, may be you could enlighten us how they treat you and the blond, blue eyed British and Americans.
its true and u don't know the ground realities,law is only in the paper,kafeel holding passports and demanding a huge amount without paying that no body can get his passport to transfer another company@DaK:
No one told Saudis about Umma?
Nawaz Sharif promised three times to make Pakistan the asian tiger. Are we there yet? We can't wait to see Saudis pouring in for odd jobs in Pakistan.
My calculator refused to tell me the total amount of money these wretched laborers had paid by now and will have to pay in future if they carry on with the harshest labor in sometimes 50+ temperatures.To feel how much indifferent our foreign office is towards these poor people,one has to just stand in the open in May-June Sun of KSA for a few minutes.I have never been able to understand why these people take all this trouble when in the end all they get is huge payables back home and nothing else.As for government helping them in the hour of need?They should simply forget it.God bless
I hope all Pakistanis can get jobs in their homeland.
We are Pakistani we deserve this, Nation with no dignity.!
These people should be grateful that the Saudi's even let them come in the their country. These people are defaming Pakistan.
plus the amount quoted is ridiculous ... I live here and its not true !! where does TRIBUNE get its stories !!
the KSA government gave over 2 years to correct the status and than extended the amnesty twice for 6 months and if they couldn't follow the law than don't blame the government !!!
Had these laborers been in western jails, our media would have been outraged, and our government might have done something to help them.
Arabs, however, have the right to do whatever they like with Pakistanis.
Ahhhhh SA good, USA baaadddd! amiright?