Faiz Al-Najdi Saudi Gazette RIYADH — More than 125,000 Pakistanis were able to regularize their work and residency status in the Kingdom since the three-month grace period announced by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah in April, officials revealed at the launch of a job fair in Riyadh on Thursday. Over 5,000 Pakistanis attended the job fair at the Pakistan International School at Nasiriyah (PISR-N) hoping to resolve their employment problems. Syed Hammad Abid and Mueen Uddin Memon, community welfare attaches at the Pakistan Embassy, said more than 50 companies participated. The fair, hosted by the Pakistan Embassy, attracted some of the major construction contracting companies such as Al-Seif and Fozan. Skilled and semi-skilled laborers, electricians, steel fixers, plumbers, drivers, hotel workers, office assistants, and AC technicians were in demand at the fair. The attendees demonstrated utmost discipline while awaiting their turns at various stalls. Representatives of the companies — Saudis, Lebanese, Syrians, Egyptians, Palestinians, Pakistanis and one Sri Lankan as well — showed utmost patience, and consideration to each of their interviewees. Memon said the embassy was trying its best to extend help to the Pakistani workers before the end of the amnesty on July 3. “We have our doors open at the embassy where we are issuing outpasses and emergency certificates in thousands daily to those who want to go on final exit. Also, we are helping the workers placed on huroob (fugitive) status to get back their passports that are handed over to us by the Ministry of Interior," he added. Abid said the embassy has maintained a database of prospective companies that are offering jobs in various trades. “We are receiving hundreds of jobless workers daily at the embassy where we are able to connect them with the companies that have pledged to provide them jobs," he said. He said so far more than 125,000 Pakistani workers were able to document and regularize their status. “However, time is running out and we feel there would be a need for extension to this amnesty period,” he added. Memon said Ambassador Muhammad Naeem Khan had already met with various officials at the Saudi ministries of labor, interior and foreign affairs in this regard and have requested them to consider an extension to this deadline up to December at least. Earlier, Khan assured the Pakistani workers present of his assistance and cooperation in facilitating each one of them to solve their problems. “My mission is to ensure that no Pakistani leaves the Kingdom on final exit,” Khan said after inaugurating the job fair.
