To understand such issues and the ground situation, we had Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Faisal Niaz Tirmizi and Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment Director General Muhammad Tayyab on Aaj News show Rubaroo on Thursday.

It merits here mentioning that the UAE is one of the top destinations for foreign remittances as many Pakistani workers send money back home to support their families.

Tirmizi stated that the UAE is the second-largest source of remittances globally, noting that last year, $5.6 billion was sent back to Pakistan from the Gulf country. He expressed optimism that this year’s remittances could reach $6.5 billion.

He mentioned that while there had been issues with money transfers through informal channels like hundi and hawala, the situation has improved significantly over the past year.

The envoy also pointed out that the UAE has made substantial investments in both the public and private sectors of Pakistan, including significant projects such as Pak-Arab Refinery Company (PARCO) and Etisalat. Furthermore, he noted that Bank Alfalah is a private investment of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In the UAE, he said that a labourer or general worker typically earns a salary ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 dirhams per month, but those with skills can make between 30,000 to 40,000 dirhams.

Your guide to avoid scam

Mohammad Tayyab, the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment DG, said that their organisation plays a “crucial role” in sending people abroad for work.

The bureau has 2,700 Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs) working to facilitate the process, he said and added that the OEPs bring job opportunities that are registered at their offices. Once approved, these job openings are advertised, and candidates are interviewed, with foreign employers participating in the interview process as well.

Tayyab urged individuals to be aware of fake job offers and fraud, emphasising the importance of verifying the credentials of OEPs.

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He advised that whenever someone claims they can send you abroad for a job, the first question should be “whether they possess a valid licence.” Job advertisements should include the licence number, which can be verified on their website, he added. “If a purported agent does not provide a licence number, they may be fraudulent.”

For those who are illiterate or unfamiliar with computers and the internet, Tayyab mentioned that many offices are available where people can obtain information in person.

He added that job postings can also be verified through their website to ensure authenticity.