The Afghan labors expressed concerns regarding unemployment issues and complain that the Pakistani workers are attracted in various projects instead of them in Khost Province.
The Afghan labors also urged the government to provide working opportunities for them on the different posts in this province.
According to reports around three to four thousand Pakistani people are working in Khost, Afghanistan. They belong to the Pakistani tribal areas, Khyber Pashtoonkhwa and even Pakistani nationals from Punjab and some other areas are seeking work in this province.
Some of these Pakistani are teaching in Private University and schools, but the majority of them are working in various parts of the city, metal shops, hotels, mechanization and some others.
Noor Tabaz is the resident of Bannu area of Pakistan who has been living with his family in Khost province for the past two years, and has the car repairing garage in Khost city. Noor Tabaz told that he is doing better business in Khost province as compared to Pakistan.
“I am grateful of my God due to the well occupation. I have cars repairing garage. The neighbors of my home and shop are satisfied from me. They say I work well for them”, Noor Tabaz said.
Osman is also the resident of Pakistan and has a mechanic workshop in the mentioned city. He says that he has been living in Khost since three years and work in his shop in this period. Osman told us his shop is very crowded and most people are applying to resolve their mechanical issues.
“I have worked in my shop since three years. It is very profitable occupation. There are a lot of Pakistani in Khost and they are doing well”.
Some of the Khost residents who were waiting in Sargardan Chawk in the middle of the city and looking for work somewhere complained regarding the lack of job in this province. They told Khaama, “The Pakistanis’ have blocked all the way for them to get jobs”.
Abdullah is one of the Khost city residents and said he is unemployed for the past three months and said no Pakistani in Khost is facing unemployment issue. “The government is supposed to provide us jobs because the people prefer Pakistani workers instead of us. I am unemployed since three months”, Abdullah added.
Provincial work and social affairs administrator, Mohammad Kamal Zadran says these Pakistani workers haven’t taken working permits in Khost yet. They are planning to give them the license.
“According to the assignments at first they should comprehend to work according the assignments. But if they do not accept, they would face to legal action” Mohammad Kamal Zadran said.
He also added that although the Pakistani workers blocked the way for the Afghans, however, the Pakistani workers providing professional services.
The Pakistani workers are enjoying a good working environment in Afghanistan and do not face any barriers from the Afghan government despite Afghan nationals are facing various issues in Pakistan.
The analysts believe if the government takes necessary action to limit working opportunities for Pakistani citizens, it will create more work opportunities for the Afghans besides which will also increase government’s revenue through taxation.
The analysts also insisted the Afghan government for immediate actions in this regard since more Afghans working NATO troops are other related projects are losing jobs, as the alliance is winding down its operations in Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
By Ibraheem Rahimi, Khost


