Overseas jobs: NA panel flags skills gap

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ISLAMABAD:

A parliamentary panel on Tuesday flagged a widening skills deficit limiting access to key labour markets such as Japan and South Korea, despite the country producing nearly 800,000 university graduates annually.

The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, chaired by Syed Rafiullah, scrutinised Pakistan's overseas employment strategy. The panel undertook a comprehensive review of overseas facilitation mechanisms, focusing on the performance of Community Welfare Attachés (CWAs), labour market penetration abroad, and the recognition of Pakistani qualifications overseas.

Members said that overseas Pakistanis remain a vital national asset, but stressed that institutional performance must be measured through tangible facilitation outcomes rather than routine reporting.