OEC eyeing Rs125mln for promotional campaigns to engage skilled workforce abroad

ISLAMABAD, Apr 19 (APP):The Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) is eyeing for approval of Rs125 mln to launch massive promotional campaigns to attract potential countries to engage Pakistan’s skilled manpower being produced over 0.35 mln every year.
The country at the moment has own its strength of over 4 mln skilled manpower and 2.5mln among them meet international standards who can contribute significantly to the country’s economy through foreign remittance.
Talking to APP Deputy Managing Director (DMD) OEC Jamshad said the project was approved in principle by the Departmental Working Party (DWP) of the Ministry and final approval is expected to be accorded in its next meeting scheduled to be held in next month of this year.
The promotional campaigns, he said would be launched through foreign electronic, print and social media as well as by OEC’s web portal.
“Saudi Arabia, UAE , Kuwait ,Oman, Bahrain,Qatar, Libya , Malaysia and South Korea are identified potential countries for these drives through community welfare attaché.
“The campaigns via electronic media in Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) countries are not possible and for the purpose the events,conferences and road shows will be arranged there after consultation with the high commissions”, he further elaborated the plan.
Jamshed said OEC was seriously concerned over country’s human export decline and repatriation of skilled work. The declined figures have come to 950,000,was highest in Pakistan’s history, from around 500,000 in last three years due to economic shifts in Gulf countries.
The release of amount, he said, would help to achieve advancement of direct communication and diplomatic channels, ensure qualitative training of workforce, up gradation of OEC’s infrastructure for expeditious processing and to make sure the repatriation of overseas was made as per work agreements.
He told that they also had moved a proposal regarding addition of Rs 200 in existing Rs 2,000 Manpower Welfare Fund aimed at welfare of overseas Pakistanis that was also under process.
Jamshed said the paucity of funds and scuffle of power between stakeholders were main hurdles in achieving the desired goals. He however hoped that after the Apex Court’s last year’s decision of endorsing cabinet as government of Pakistan would help to improve overall functioning of the Corporation as “it is not a one man show now.”