BEOE not maintaining record of returnees

Although some 3.4 million Pakistanis have so far been sent abroad over three decades by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE), it does not have any record pertaining to the returnees. The global financial crisis, which badly hammered almost all economies, Dubai in particular, has caused the influx of returnees mostly menial workers to Pakistan.
The concerned authority has not evolved any system to maintain the record of returnees, which could help the authority to gainfully utilise the foreign experience of returnees for industrial growth.
A large number of repatriated Pakistanis, who contributed major share in the remittances, are always complaining that the government is not even thinking to accommodate them in their relative professions, instead creating hurdles in their resettlement through its unfriendly policies.
It has been witnessed that both skilled and unskilled workers, who served several years abroad and contributed major role in the growth of the recruited countries, are not facilitated in their homeland.
Therefore, majority of them is reluctant to share their knowledge and experience for the welfare of the country. They are interested to invest entire life earnings in irrelevant professions, fast food business and general stores in particular.
When contacted, Syed Tariq Shamim, Deputy Director, BEOE said that BEOE is paying certain amount to Overseas Pakistani Foundation (OPF) to maintain the data of returnees but it has not yet provided any positive results.
Keeping this in view, he said the department has proposed the ministry to reorganise the entire set up on priority to facilitate applicants at maximum. The proposal has suggested the ministry to start one-window operation to facilitate applicants, he said and added the department in this regard has taken Nadra and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) on board.
Moreover, Shamim said the department has planned to recruit some 15 field officer, who would be posted at airports to improve the efficiency of BEOE.
It is worth mentioning that the department is striving to improve the performance by reorganising its set up but the web site, which is the prime source for applicants to collect all relevant information, has not been updated for last two years.