Islamabad, January 6, 2026: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, chaired by Syed Rafiullah, on Tuesday expressed serious dissatisfaction over incomplete responses, weak performance evaluation mechanisms, and the overall quality of briefings submitted by the Ministry and Community Welfare Attachés (CWAs) posted in the Gulf region.
The committee met in the Constitution Room at Parliament House to review compliance with its earlier recommendations and to receive briefings on overseas Pakistanis’ welfare and deployment. While acknowledging ongoing facilitation efforts, the committee noted the absence of a systematic performance audit framework for CWAs despite their extensive responsibilities.
During the meeting, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) briefed the committee on the proposed establishment of a “refusal to departure cell,” which is currently under review by the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases (CCLC). The FIA informed members that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been developed for pre-departure facilitation desks at airports to ensure departing citizens are heard. The committee directed that advertisements regarding these desks be prominently displayed at immigration counters in Urdu so that travelers who believe they have been wrongly offloaded can seek immediate redress.
The committee expressed concern that several agenda questions related to overseas welfare and manpower deployment had not been adequately addressed. The chair questioned the Ministry’s preparedness, while the Ministry sought additional time, citing limitations in conducting qualitative reviews and performance audits of CWAs. The Ministry committed to undertaking a structured performance audit, as the committee observed that no such mechanism currently exists.
Briefings by CWAs from the Gulf region covered deployment figures, welfare facilitation, jail visits, and labour market conditions. However, members raised pointed questions about the absence of CWAs at key locations, extensions of officers beyond their tenure without a defined legal framework, and the lack of consolidated timelines for postings and extensions. The chair noted that Pakistan’s limited CWA presence stands in sharp contrast to the size of its overseas workforce, particularly when compared with regional countries.
While examining the briefing on Bahrain, the committee reviewed labour agreements, skill collaboration initiatives, and challenges arising from localisation policies. Members pointed to delays in Joint Technical Committee meetings, limited progress on major projects, and unmet workforce deployment targets. The issue of non-recognition of certain Pakistani qualifications abroad was also highlighted, with the Ministry assuring that it would take up the matter with relevant authorities.
Serious concern was also expressed over complaints related to the recruitment of welders for Korea, where candidates were tested and interviewed but placements did not materialise. The committee directed that the issue be thoroughly examined and findings shared with the members. Additionally, governance issues in allied organisations, delays in the repatriation of deceased overseas Pakistanis, and the need for institutional reforms to address corruption and underutilisation of assets were discussed.
The committee recommended linking CWA performance with formal performance audits and qualitative reviews, framing clear rules for extensions, reviewing mechanisms for repatriation of deceased workers, improving and consolidating briefings submitted to the committee, and providing complete data on complaints received against CWAs.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto, Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Mian Khan Bugti, Fateh Ullah Khan, Erum Hamid, Mah Jabeen Khan Abbasi, Muhammad Ilyas Choudhary, Saeeda Jamshid, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, and Farhan Chishti. The Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, along with senior officers of the Ministry and the Federal Investigation Agency, also attended the session.
