Pakistan’s tenacious workforce could fix the extreme shortage of labor in many sectors and help Europe to stabilize its lumpy industrial growth, post-pandemic.
Azfar Bukhari, a celebrated British- Pakistani journalist, social activist and director of EEVTA, stated this during panel discussions in the European Parliament.
Bukhari had been invited to the 25th annual reception hosted by an extensive group of EU Parliamentarians.
Dignitaries, including heads of European states, Parliamentarians, senior bureaucrats, members of civil societies and notables mainly from European countries, attended the event; whereas few well-reputed figures from outside the European bloc were also invited to participate in the panel discussions.
This year migration was the major topic of the panel discussions. All the participants gave their suggestions on the subject.
While taking part in the discussions, Bukhari stresses the need for a well-coordinated and unified EU policy on migration to overcome ungrounded fears amongst the European population.
“It is a complete misconception that migrants are a threat to local populations as they think the outsiders are snatching their jobs and exploiting the social security systems,” he said.
“On the contrary the migrants are only taking the most risky and unsecure jobs and driving the major sector of European economy while doing extreme toil work mainly in agriculture and constructions sectors. These are the jobs almost shunned by the locals,” he added.
The EEVTA director further said that “a unified EU policy on legal migration is essential, and the only alternative to irregular migration is to establish the effective routes of legal migration, especially in the present time when the whole bloc is facing the extreme shortage of skilled and even unskilled workforce. On top of rising costs, European companies are also facing the lack of workers, which is becoming more prominent than ever before”.
Addressing the participants at the closing session of the discussions, Bukhari said that countries like Pakistan can help EU to overcome the shortage of manpower as its hardworking labor has all the abilities to gear up the European economy.
A dedicated and highly trained workforce has played a vital role in the magical development of the Middle East, and the nation could extend the same contribution to the EU.
It is pertinent to mention here that the recommendations and suggestions of the panel will be taken into account by policy-makers in their efforts to improve the EU legal framework and to foster inclusion.
While talking to SAMAA TV at the conclusion of the event, Bukhari said Pakistan could take great advantage of the current shortage of labor across Europe and this could be the easiest way to add billions to the country’s falling foreign exchange reserves.
Instead of making long-term policies for the increase of conventional exports, the Government should emphasize increasing its diaspora in EU countries where our people can easily earn at least four times of what they are earning in GCC countries and this way, the country’s reserve would grow exponentially. He said he would soon draft a proposal for the perusal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in this regard.
It is pertinent to note that Bukhari has been portraying a positive image of Pakistan outside the country since long. He was offered key political positions in Pakistan by different governments, but he refused to play any part in politics.
However, he contested the British parliamentary Elections in 2019, and at the same time, he filed a court case for the disqualification of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson against his racial remarks on the Hijab.
In 2011, the Sindh assembly also passed a unanimous resolution to honor his services rendered for the country.
