As many as 92 Pakistani nurses face shattered dreams after being deported from Saudi Arabia due to a private recruiter’s actions.
The nurses, all qualified professionals, were victims of a scam that involved forged online verification of their credentials. The Saudi government detected the forgery during routine online checks, leading to the immediate dismissal and repatriation of the affected nurses.
This incident has not only caused immense stress and financial hardship for the nurses, but also tarnished the reputation of Pakistani healthcare professionals.
Federal authorities in Pakistan have taken swift action. Upon learning of the situation, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis launched a high-level investigation.
The preliminary probe resulted in the Rawalpindi-based recruiter’s license being suspended and blacklisting. Additionally, a committee has been formed to conduct a more comprehensive investigation.
The modus operandi of the scam involved the recruiter submitting the same verification report for multiple nurses.
This fraudulent practice allowed 350 nurses to secure jobs in Saudi Arabia, with 92 of them now facing the consequences. These nurses had worked in the Kingdom for a year before the online verification exposed the forgery.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of migrant workers and the importance of robust recruitment practices.
The investigation will hopefully bring those responsible to justice and implement stronger regulations to prevent such scams from happening again. The well-being and careers of Pakistani nurses seeking to work abroad must be a top priority.
