ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of Pakistanis who registered for repatriation from Saudi Arabia have decided to stay in the kingdom after its authorities announced to lift lockdown restrictions in the next few days, Pakistan’s envoy to the Arab state said on Tuesday.
“There are hundreds of Pakistanis who earlier registered for repatriation but have now undergone a change of heart and decided to stay in the kingdom after the announcement of Saudi officials about the lifting of coronavirus restrictions by June 21,” Ambassador Raja Ali Ejaz told Arab News on the phone from Riyadh.
Last month, the kingdom announced a three-phase strategy to normalize life and allow public sector employees to gradually return to work by June 14. According to the ministry of overseas Pakistanis, more than 16,000 nationals had registered for repatriation from Saudi Arabia after the virus outbreak.
“Pakistani expats are having second thoughts now since the kingdom is gradually opening up businesses and other activities. Saudi authorities are working to restore normalcy by June 21,” he said, adding that while the coronavirus cases were not completely under control Saudi Arabia had allowed some businesses to resume their work by strictly complying to precautionary measures.
“The authorities in the kingdom are very strict regarding the implementation of social distancing and other safety measures. Violators of standard operating procedures are heavily fined in the kingdom,” Ejaz added.
Javed Chaudhary, a Pakistani expat from Gujranwala who worked in a company of electrical installations in Dammam, has decided to stay in the kingdom after the announcement of lifting of restriction by June 21.
“I have been in the kingdom for the last 35 years and have a good reputation in my company. I wanted to go back to Pakistan since I was not working for almost four months. But my company told me to stay since restrictions are going to be lifted by June 21. I have decided to stay, hoping that I will soon get the chance to work again,” Chaudhary told Arab News.
“The authorities in Saudi Arabia have done a lot by disinfecting neighborhoods and providing free of cost home delivery service of necessary household items,” he added.
Another Pakistani expat from Bahawalpur, Asif Liaquat, who works as lift operator in a company in Riyadh, has also decided to cancel his trip to his country after his company called him back to work.
“I had decided to go back [to Pakistan] since there has been a bit of uncertainty related to work since March, and I did not have enough money to stay in the kingdom anymore. But my company called me to rejoin last week, so I canceled my program,” Liaquat told Arab News, adding that his manager had promised to compensate him for the last few months as well.
Commenting on the precautionary measures, he said the lifts in his company were disinfected every two hours and operated at one-third of their capacity with strict orders for people to wear face masks and gloves.
Amir Muhammad Khan, a Pakistani expat from Sialkot who lives in Jeddah, commended the Saudi authorities for providing necessary items at doorstep.
“I have decided to stay in the kingdom since we have felt safe here. There was a very quick system in Jeddah to get all necessary items at our doorstep by ordering them online during the pandemic. It helped us avoid going to markets and stay strictly inside our homes during this difficult time,” Khan told Arab News.
