Govt to increase number of Community Welfare Attaches, Protector Emigration Offices: Dr Sania Nishtar

• The policy to subsidize air tickets for low paid workers abroad who have not returned home in seven years was also on the anvil.
• One-window operation was being started for all types of information to facilitate migrant workers through Protector of Emigration Offices.

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD) Dr Sania Nishtar Sunday said government would increase the role and number of ‘Community Welfare Attaches’ as well as involve well-reputed expatriate Pakistanis and the number of’ Protector of Emigration Offices’ would also be increased.

Several policy steps were being taken to improve the welfare of expatriate Pakistanis and measures being taken to improve the quality of pre-departure briefing for intending migrants and to ensure their biometric attendance so that they could be made aware of their rights and entitlements, she told APP.

She further said, "One-window operation was being started for all types of information to facilitate migrant workers through Protector of Emigration Offices.

Furthermore, negotiations with foreign governments were underway to extend the duration of the first contract agreement for workers to a minimum of 3 years as unskilled workers hardly recover their cost of migration before that time, she added.

Moreover, the policy to subsidize air tickets for low paid workers abroad who have not returned home in seven years was also on the anvil, she said.