Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Wednesday unanimously asked federal government for using diplomatic channels for settlement of the issues of expatriates Pakistanis with Saudi Companies and their sponsors permanently.
The resolution moved by MPA Sahibzada Sanaullah of PPP carrying the signatures of the legislators of different parliamentary parties stated that 2,500,000 Pakistani are living and working in Saudi Arabia and send huge foreign returns to Pakistan annually despite that they are facing numerous difficulties there.
The resolution further said that Saudi Companies and sponsors (Kafils) are harassing Pakistani labourers through different tactics and refusing them the payment of their salaries on time due to which many Pakistani are living in very miserable conditions. Pakistanis living in Saudi Arab are worried as they were not allowed to perform Hajj, fearing black listing for a period of five years despite having legal visa permits.
In the resolution it was also demanded of the federal government to enhance the number of passport counters in Saudi Arabia from two to five as it were insufficient for millions of Saudi Arabia based Pakistanis labourers. The resolution also provision of legal assistance and using of diplomatic channels for the release of Pakistanis languishing in prisons of Saudi Arabia over petty issues.
The Speaker, Asad Qaiser put the resolution to vote and the house adopted it unanimously.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed KP Ehtesab Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to further strengthened accountability process in the province. The amendment bill was presented in the assembly in May this year and along with amendments of the two legislators also proposed amendment for consideration of a Select Committee headed by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.
Under the amendment the KP Ehtesab Commission will investigate into cases involving financial loss to the provincial exchequer not less than an amount of Rs 50 million and in case the amount is less than Rs 50 million then the matter would be inquired and investigated by the Anti-Corruption Establishment.
The inquiry shall be completed within a period of sixty (60) days followed by investigation which shall be completed within ninety (90) days, fixed for the inquiry, sufficient evidence has been collected, and the inquiry shall be converted into investigation with the approval of the Director General.