The number of Pakistani emigrants in Saudi Arabia has increased from 0.14 million in 2008 to 0.22 million in 2011.
According to a Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment official, Saudi Arabia, being a Muslim state, is attractive for millions of Pakistani workers seeking jobs abroad.
He said Saudi Arabia had become the largest market for Pakistani workers in the world besides the Gulf states such as United Arab Emirate (UAE), Oman and Kuwait.
Presently, Pakistan is sending skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour to Saudi Arabia, he said. To a question, he said the number of Pakistani workers registered for overseas employment through Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment during 2011 for Saudi Arabia was 222,247.