PP

Migrant Resource Centre (MRC), working under Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, would launch a massive media campaign to educate audience about safe legal migration to different countries.

Talking to APP, Coordinator MRC, Shahid Naveed said the media campaign will be launched next month and continue till July which include talk shows on different aspects of safe and legal migration.

A 30-episode drama serial would also be telecast through a TV channel with each episode based on different issues being faced by the migrant workers, he said.

Shahid Naveed said a campaign would also be launched through social media to disseminate awareness on the above mentioned subject among people.

Listing few initiatives of MRC, he said the centre has equipped 2370 students of different educational institutions so far, with the latest and accurate information on safe and legal migration.

He said, MRC, since its inception a year back, has provided information about safe and legal migration to 2370 students, including 2055 male and 315 female.

He informed that the centre had also provided pre-departure orientation to 6003 intending migrants at Protectorate of Emigrants (POE), Rawalpindi and also had provided counselling services to 237 walk-in clients– 227 male and 10 female.

MRC was working with an objective to disseminate valid information about safe migration and the drastic consequences of illegal migration to save the intending migrants from exploitation, he added.

Migrant workers face different issues during the recruitment and employment process like high costs and fees, misrepresentation, failure to meet placement obligations and contract substitution.

While unregistered and unidentified sub-agents in the recruitment business and human trafficking are other issues which add to the miseries of migrant workers, Shahid Naveed observed.

He said MRC had also planned to start a community level outreach programme in coordination with different non-governmental organisations next month for awareness purposes.

He said intending migrants could visit MRC office directly and also contact through telephone.

While a helpline to be launched by Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) in next month would also assist migrants in their problems.

The network of MRC would also be expanded at the provincial level in future and its offices would be established in major districts, Shahid Naveed informed.