COVID-19: Zulfikar Bukhari leaves for UAE to address issues of Pakistani expats

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OP&HRD) Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari on Wednesday left for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to address and resolve the issue of Pakistani expats stranded in foreign country due to coronavirus.

According to the statement issued by the OP&HRD ministry, the SAPM, in his two-day visit, would also meet the UAE Labour Minister for the redressal of the issues being faced by the Pakistani workers in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This is the first interaction of UAE labour ministry with a representative of any country with such a large diaspora to address workforce issues and post-COVID reintegration plan,” read the official news release.

Apart from holding meetings with the consulate staff involved in the process of facilitating the overseas Pakistanis during the pandemic, the SAPM would also have press interaction during his visit and would meet with PTI overseas office bearers to encourage them for assisting the Pakistanis in the Gulf state.

Also read: Coronavirus renders 10,000 Pakistanis jobless in UAE: official

The premier's aide is also scheduled to hold an interaction with the Dubai-based Pakistani donors who had carried out philanthropic activities and made huge contributions.

The SAPM would pay gratitude to them on behalf of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the entire nation for looking after their countrymen in the hour of need.

“This is the first visit after reopening of airspace to address overseas Pakistanis’ issues since the onset of coronavirus pandemic,” the ministry noted.

Pakistan is a big labour supplier to the UAE, with more than a million Pakistanis living and working in the country, according to Pakistani diplomats.