EDITORIAL: The Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Overseas Pakistanis … has returned home after his extensive tour of eight African and Middle Eastern countries with sizable concentrations of Pakistani immigrants, convinced that there must be a complete overhaul of the existing system of recruitment of Pakistanis for employment abroad. … It is widely known that … [private recruiting] agencies have been plying a thriving racket… . …[I]n many cases, job-seeking Pakistanis were refused entry at foreign destinations for travelling on forged papers… .

Indeed, it has long been apparent that if illegal emigration still takes place, it is largely because of the aid … provided by the expanding network of recruiting agencies operating their nefarious trade... . It is equally patent that this form of human traffic tends to tarnish the image of the country in foreign lands… . … [C]are must … be taken to ensure that government agencies entrusted with the job too do not succumb to the same temptations … which have become synonymous with … private recruiting agencies. …[I]t will be necessary to provide adequate safeguards … against graft, nepotism and other corrupt practices.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2026