Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Secretary Munir Qureshi said the government is taking various initiatives to facilitate export of Pakistan’s manpower to all potential markets.
He expressed these views while addressing business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He said the main focus of the government is to reduce the unemployment from the country and Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development would take all possible measures to address the problems of Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs) and facilitate them to enhance the export of manpower.
Qureshi said efforts are afoot to improve the working of vocational training institutes to increase the competitiveness of our human talent and export well trained and skilled manpower abroad.
He said the insurance cover for Overseas Pakistanis is being enhanced from current two years to their first employment contract period. He said pension plans for returning Overseas Pakistanis are being considered so that when they return home, they may not face financial problems. He assured that all problems highlighted by the OEPs would be looked into to facilitate them. He acknowledged the positive role of OEPs in improving the economy and said that the top performer OEPs would be duly recognized by the government. In his welcome address, Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Pakistan has huge potential to promote export of its manpower by developing skills and providing proper training to its human resource and government should fully support the private sector to fully realize the manpower export potential of the country.
He said the Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs) are playing very important role in reducing unemployment as from 2008 to 2013, they sent 2.6 million Pakistanis abroad and government should provide them maximum facilitation to further enhance manpower export. He said Overseas Pakistanis sent $13.92 billion as remittances and government should come up with better incentives for them and take private sector on board while making manpower policies so that with joint efforts we could further promote manpower exports.