2,000 distressed Pakistanis get job interviews

The Pakistani Consulate recently arranged for 2,000 distressed workers to get job interviews with 40 companies.
The interviews, which took place Friday at the consulate until late in the evening, were for workers who need to regularize their status before the July 3 deadline.
Pakistan Consul General Aftab Khokhar said the initiative was only for those people who are illegal or work for companies in the Red Zone.
“My request and message to the people of the Pakistani community is that this job fair is only for those who are covered under the amnesty. So please, those who don’t fall into these categories should not come and give deserving people a chance,” said Khokhar.
The workers were interviewed for various jobs including drivers, engineers, electricians, general laborers, forklift operators supermarket workers, plumbers and technicians.
Khokhar said he would try to set aside another day for interviews. “We will try to organize it on a bigger scale if we get space,” he said.
Mohammed Idris, a worker who came for an interview, hopes to get a job. “The consul general promised to help us so we came and registered with the companies. The representatives of the companies took our iqama and passport numbers, phone numbers, names and other details and told us they would contact us very soon,” he said.
Another worker, Bagistan Khan, said he came to the Kingdom after July 2008 and cannot get a job or rectify his status.
Mazhar Khan, an engineer, said he works for a company in the Green Zone, but cannot get released from his sponsor. He said he had asked the consulate to help him, but was told he had to bring a permission letter from his sponsor.
“I wish someone can help me get released and transferred to another company before the grace period ends.”
He said many workers with the same problem had turned up for interviews and were “upset” when they were turned away.
Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, a representative of Al-Ghamdi company, said he found a number of skilled workers. “Many of our requirements for drivers and electricians are fulfilled. We will finalize whom we need in two or three days. Everything went smoothly, but one day is not enough for such initiatives,” he said.
Another company representative, Vaqar Rathore, said he also found workers his firm could hire and are preparing transfers.
Other company representatives also urged the consulate to set aside more time for interviews.