806 licenses of Overseas Employment Promoters have been cancelled due to violations of immigration laws and multiple complaints, officials from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee chaired by Agha Rafiullah. The ministry further stated that some licenses were revoked because the promoters were no longer active in the recruitment sector. Committee members, however, strongly criticised the quality and completeness of the information provided.
Committee member Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhary questioned the credibility of the list, stating that it was incomplete and that the addresses of at least 150 promoters were missing. The committee chairman expressed dissatisfaction, asking whether the ministry considered the committee insignificant enough to withhold full documentation. He remarked that the ministry’s performance was “zero” and demanded clear answers on the actions taken against the promoters involved in wrongdoing.
The chairman further noted that the ministry claimed it could not take action against the families of the accused promoters, a stance he rejected by calling for changes in existing rules. He said citizens were being defrauded of large sums of money, yet officials insisted they could not proceed against those facilitating the exploitation. He pressed the ministry to clarify how much these promoters charge individuals seeking employment abroad.
According to the committee chairman, thousands of Pakistanis pay several hundred thousand rupees to go overseas, often falling victim to fraudulent schemes. He stressed the need to determine exactly how much money a single Pakistani is forced to pay to secure employment abroad. Ministry officials responded that a new policy is being drafted to regulate fees and protect the rights of workers seeking foreign employment.
The chairman criticised the ministry for failing to take effective steps to address complaints of Overseas Pakistanis. Ministry officials admitted that thousands of complaints have been received against various agents and promoters. The standing committee demanded detailed records of all cases involving employment promoters, including the number currently with the FIA, and instructed authorities to provide a full update on progress made so far.
