ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan embassy in Saudi Arabia has started paying 200 riyals per head to Pakistani workers stranded in three camps of Saudi companies where food supply was not possible, Ambassador Manzoorul Haq said on Thursday.

“We have started disbursing cash among the workers at three camps namely Siteen, Aljazeera and Taif having 300, 300, and 200 individuals respectively,” the ambassador said by telephone from Riyadh.

Mr Haq said the embassy was diligently working to ensure uninterrupted food supply to Pakistani workers at 20 camps of Saudi companies.

He mentioned that an arrangement of cooked food for 700 workers was also made on a priority basis on Wednesday.

He said diplomatic efforts were in progress to pressurise the companies by the Saudi government to provide dues and arrears to the stranded Pakistanis.

The ambassador said that during his visit to the Song camp on Wednesday, where 800 Pakistanis are residing, he met the workers and enquired about their well-being.

He said that the embassy’s counsul general and deputy head of mission had also visited Jeddah and Damam camps hosting 1,000 and 1,300 workers, respectively.

He said that an overwhelming majority of workers were living without their families and efforts were being made in line with the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to help expatriate Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia.

It may be recalled that some 8,000 Pakistani expatriates reportedly are in Saudi Arabia who have not been paid salaries for seven months by their host companies. Also, their work permits have not been renewed.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2016