ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has offered to Pakistan access to its labour market database, which would help boost export of Pakistani workforce to the Gulf state.

According to a press release, the offer was extended by UAE Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre) Nasser Bin Thani Al Hameli during a meeting with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistan and Human Resource Development Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari on the sidelines of the 5th ministerial session of Abu Dubai Dialogue.

The initiative would provide Pakistan updated information of job opportunities in the UAE’s labour market, besides enabling it to train the workforce as per market demand.

Mr Bukhari informed his counterpart that Pakistan wanted to integrate a digital platform with the UAE to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process, besides minimising its cost. The country was ready to link its digital platform with the UAE, he added.

Both sides also agreed to activate the joint committee formed for implementation of the memorandum of understanding recently signed to ensure the protection of Pakistani workers’ rights and resolving their legal job disputes in the UAE.

It was also decided to prepare a three-year plan for recruitment of Pakistani workforce.

Mr Bukhari said that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government stood by its promise of providing respectable jobs to the youth on local and international level, adding that the country’s economy was moving in the right direction under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He said the government had been taking practical measures to create job opportunities for the youth within the country and abroad. The export of manpower witnessed 51 per cent increase during the first seven months of the PTI government, he added.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2019