ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Tuesday sharply criticised the government’s handling of overseas welfare operations, highlighting significant gaps in accountability and performance evaluations for Community Welfare Attachés (CWAs), despite their crucial role in protecting Pakistan’s expatriate workforce. The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, chaired by Agha Rafiullah, reviewed the status of previous recommendations and received a series of unsatisfactory updates from CWAs in the Gulf. The ministry had assured a “structured audit” of CWA operations, but the committee expressed frustration over the lack of formal performance assessments for such a critical network. Key issues raised included the absence of CWAs at vital locations, the extension of officers’ tenures without clear legal frameworks, and the lack of defined timelines for postings and extensions. The committee also pointed out Pakistan’s limited CWA presence in the Gulf compared to neighbouring countries, despite the large Pakistani workforce in the region. Further criticism was directed at unresolved labour agreements in Bahrain, stalled skill collaboration projects, and delays in workforce deployment targets. The non-recognition of Pakistani qualifications abroad was highlighted as a significant concern, with the ministry failing to provide actionable steps. A contentious issue was the failed recruitment of welders for South Korea, where applicants had completed interviews and tests, but no placements materialised. The committee demanded an immediate investigation and updates on the matter. The committee also condemned governance failures, inefficiency in allied organisations, and delays in repatriating deceased workers, calling for urgent institutional reforms to address corruption and optimise resource management. At the session’s close, the committee issued blunt recommendations: a full audit of CWAs, guidelines for officer tenure extensions, streamlined repatriation procedures, and improved briefings to the committee. The committee also called for a robust data management system to track complaints against CWAs more effectively. Despite these serious concerns, the committee’s frustration grew over the ministry’s inadequate responses, with Rafiullah questioning its preparedness and weak answers. The ministry, in turn, requested more time to conduct a thorough review of CWA performance. Several key agenda items remained unresolved, leaving the committee with a heightened sense of urgency and disillusionment over the ministry’s fragmented and reactive approach to the welfare of overseas Pakistanis. The session also discussed the establishment of a “refusal to depart” cell by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), currently under review by the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Coordination (CCLC), as well as the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for pre-departure facilitation desks at airports. The committee directed that advertisements for these desks be displayed at immigration counters in Urdu to help offloaded travellers seek redress. However, with multiple agenda items left unaddressed and the session ending without clarity on the way forward, it is clear that the ministry’s performance is under intense scrutiny. The meeting, attended by Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain, senior ministry officials, FIA representatives, and committee members, left many questions unanswered about the future of Pakistan’s overseas welfare systems. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026