Over 485 deported from Oman
Returning Pakistani migrants walk away from the wharf at the city’s port in Karachi following their deportation from Oman. — AFP Photo
KARACHI: Over 450 Pakistanis deported from Oman after their arrest for illegally entering the Gulf state and serving imprisonments up to a year returned here on Friday after sailing for more than two days in a cargo launch, which was allowed to anchor at the Karachi port after a minister’s intervention.
Officials said the cargo launch, Al-Basit, carrying 485 men anchored at Ghas Bandar at around 3am. After a nearly nine-hour-long process, 477 of them were allowed to go home and eight were arrested for ‘repeating the illegal act’.
“Of the deportees, 362 hailed from different areas of Punjab, 75 from Sindh, 44 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and four from Balochistan,” said Rahmatullah Dhomki, the officer-in-charge of the immigration cell of the Federal Investigation Agency at Ghas Bander, who supervised the whole exercise.
“The eight arrested people have been booked under the Immigration Ordinance 1979 as despite once deported by the Omani authorities, they again attempted illegal immigration and were arrested. They would be produced in court. The other 477 people were released, given food and money to travel back home in different areas of Pakistan.”
He said the process that started a little after 3am ended by 12noon. It included recording of personal data of each deportee and details of the illegal process which took them to Oman. The record showed that most of them paid up to Rs40,000 to agents for illegal immigration.
Earlier, after the launch entered Pakistani waters, the port authorities and other agencies denied anchorage to Al-Basit in the middle of the night citing security reasons. However, after the intervention of federal minister for ports and shipping Babar Khan Ghori the launch was allowed to proceed and arrangements were made to handle the situation.
Visibly exhausted, a few deportees shared with Dawn the ordeal of their journey back to Karachi and the illegal stay in Oman that included imprisonment. They said they paid from Rs30,000 to Rs40,000 to the agents to help them illegally enter the Gulf state.
“I paid Rs35,000 and entered Oman in March 2012,” said Nasrullah Khan from Bannu, one of the 485 deportees.
“We were some 25 or 30 people who were first brought here to Karachi before being taken to Gwadar. From Gwadar, we left for Iran and then finally reached Muscat, where we were arrested the very next week of our arrival.”
He was well aware of the risk involved in the process, but took a chance to secure a job there. In his early 40s and father of three, Mr Khan, however, seemed convinced that “it was not a good idea”.
“I worked as a woodcutter and it was almost impossible to make ends meet for a five-member family with such a low income. In fact, it’s poverty that forces you to make such desperate attempts,” he said.
Creating new provinces will not be beneficial to common folks but will be burden on government exchequer.
stop producing kids in such large numbers which contribute to your poverty too. What’s up with so many Muslims in general- producing kids in such large numbers?
The real terrorists are which are looting this country, the poor labors go to earn living where they find job. there are people who made billions and left the country with the help of Rehman Malik, Talbans should be after these culpruts.
Due to economic needs Pakistani do need to go abroad for work . Gulf States and London are not the only countries . There are many countries in West Indies and South America to go . These are Middle income countries with thriving economy and needing skilled labour . Indian and Chinese are going there by thousands why not Pakistani . I am of Pakistani origin , having lived in UK for 42 years ( a British Citizen since 1975 ) , I am now spending most of my time in Jamaica managing my farm . I have tried to recruit peoples to work on my farm . All they ask for is ” Hum koo to London jana hai ” . It seems the Midwife at birth gave them a special feed that demand they must go Londonnnnn . zaidifarms@yahoo.com
Better luck next time …
Special thanks to the kind hearted minister
What does all of these Gulf countries got that we what we don’t have in Pakistan. The poverty in Pakistan has forced our people to work in miserable conditions Gulf and continuous abuse by the Gulf employment system of slavery. Our government enjoys the foreign exchange that it receives from overseas Pakistanis but sad to see it a blood money. The overseas Pakistanis work extremely heard to make life easy for their family members in Pakistan but over the years even with overseas Pakistani’s help the corruption and overall poor governance has made life extremely difficult for the middle age and the youth of Pakistan. Out of desperation Pakistanis look for better life overseas but times have change the demand has dropped for unskilled workers in Gulf. Life is not what is use to be for Pakistani’s living inside or outside Pakistan. We have reach the bottom and nobody will help, the realization has to come to us that unless we change our own situation in Pakistan through a change in political system and job creation life will even become harder. Pakistan is blessed with fertile land, minerals, talented people but just because we have poor governance we have become laugh for our neighbors and rest of the world. Just look at the contribution of Pakistani’s living overseas in the USA and Europe and you will find 90% success rate , you will find doctors, engineers, teachers, businessman same Pakistan working for the others countries making a huge difference in their own life and the countries they are living in. I really feel sad the political elite of Pakistan have lost the vision of our founder and are busy embezzling $$$ for their own well being and the entire nation is paying the price.
Terrorism is bred in poverty. Rather than drone attacks, help the poor people live a better life.
They were not worried about drone attacks in Punjab and Sindh.
Well said brother.
Agreed. create jobs better than what terror industry offers. terrorism will go down by itself.
The blame goes to govenment who is not creating jobs.
Government is busy creating personal wealth. They will create al other things after this is fully done.
The solution is to create jobs for both men and women as it is not possible for one person to feed his whole family. Look at the world you can see men and women are working and this is the economic necessity. Alas, no political party in Pakistan has shown any interest for private job creation and have no plans. Peoples partywhen come in power just burden government exchequer further by inducting people picked up from their cadre in government sector and in government owned corporations already overstaffed and inefficient to the core ruining the future of Pakistan
control population….”In his early 40s and father of three, Mr Khan” – if u can’t offer why u r giving birth to 3 children?
Pakistan is an agricultural country and our government should focus on cost reduction of wheat, rice, lentils and other food items used particularly by poor people. Otherwise, people, who are even willing to do hard work, will take such illegal and difficult routes.
Why don’t people focus on reduction of population . Stop producing like flies.
Pakistan is neither agricultral nor industrial, what we were taught in the text books was wrong.
you are correct Goverment is trying to make both end and meets not think over it.
Why a woodcutter going to Oman or any Gulf State . They have no wood , no forest . Just plenty of sand . Pakistani workers also needs to think before going to a particular country . If you have spent years learning a trade / profession , it is best to go to a country where you are in demand . When you are in demand , you will also be respect too . South America is best for wood cutter . zaidifarms@yahoo.com
Now what they gonna do, if the had anything they never would have leave their home.