Tag: jobs

  • Fawad shares numbers of Pakistanis working abroad

    Fawad shares numbers of Pakistanis working abroad

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has shared a list of numbers of Pakistanis working abroad on his official Twitter account.

    In a tweet, Fawad said, “Despite Covid-19, 1.1 million Pakistanis have got jobs abroad in three years. In the next two years, the government hopes that two million people will go abroad.”

    The list shows that most of the Pakistanis work in the Middle East and the United Kingdom (UK).

    A day earlier, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that all overseas Pakistanis will be voting for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He claimed that 40 of Punjab’s and 80 constituencies of the country will be decided by overseas voters.

  • Govt seeking new powers to control media by setting up PMDA:  Human Rights Watch

    Govt seeking new powers to control media by setting up PMDA: Human Rights Watch

    As part of its crackdown on freedom of expression, the government is seeking broad new powers in the garb of the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), says Human Rights Watch (HRW).

    “The government claims an ordinance setting up the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) would replace the ‘fractured’ regulatory environment and fragmented media regulations currently in place. The proposed PMDA would bring all media in Pakistan – print, television, radio, films, and digital media – under one regulator,” HRW said in its statement.

    The PMDA law would grant new unchecked powers to the government-controlled regulator by setting up special “media tribunals” that will have the power to impose steep fines for media organisations and journalists who violate its code of conduct or publish content it deems to be “fake news”.

    The proposed law would also increase government control by allowing government officials to be appointed to key positions.

    With journalists under relentless attack for doing their jobs, the Pakistan government needs to stop trying to control reporters and instead start protecting media freedom, added HRW.

    Earlier this month, the representatives of media organisations rejected the proposed PMDA and termed the concept as an unconstitutional and draconian law against freedom of press and expression and a step toward imposing state control to regulate all segments of media under over-centralised body.

    The major stakeholders believe that the proposed PMDA is an attempt to tighten the government’s control over the media from one platform and ignores the fact that print, electronic and social media are separate entities, each with their own defined features.

  • تنخواہ مانگ کر شرمندہ نہ کریں

    تنخواہ مانگ کر شرمندہ نہ کریں

    دوررِ حاظر میں نوکری کے بغیر گزارہ نہیں ۔سار ا دن انسٹا گرام پہ برگر اور پیزے دیکھ دیکھ کر یا تو بھوک لگی رہتی ہے یا پھر خوبصورت کپڑے دیکھ کر عجیب احساسِ محرومی سا رہتا ہے کہ آخر یہ میرے پاس کیوں نہیں ۔  اس سے پہلے کہ آپ غصہ میں آئیں ، میں واضح کرنا چاہتی ہوں کہ مجھے نوکری صرف انہی چیزوں کے لیے چاہئے ۔ لیکن جو نوکری دینے والے ہیں ، وہ آ پ سے کیا چاہتے ہیں ، آپ کو اندازہ بھی نہیں ہو پاتا ۔ آپ کے  گھر کی چائے کی پتی کے علاوہ ، انہیں آپ سے ہر چیز چاہئے ۔ اور اس کا مجھے شدت سے احساس ہوا  جب میں نے نوکری ڈھونڈنی شروع کی ۔

     سال 2020 میں میرے پاس نوکری نہ رہی تو میں نے سوچا کہ کچھ عرصہ آرام کروں ۔ میں پچھلے 12 سال سے لگاتار کام کر رہی ہوں تو سوچا کہ چلو تھوڑی عیاشی کر لیتے ہیں ۔ شروع کے دو مہینے تو فلمیں اور ٹی وی دیکھ کر گزار دیئے ۔  نیندیں بھی پوری کر لیں ۔ پھر وہ وقت جلد ہی آ گیا جب میں نے دیواروں کو گھورنا شروع کر دیا اور اتنا گھورا کہ دیواروں نے بھی کہہ دیا 

    ” سوری بہن ہمارا بوائے فرینڈ ہے ۔ ہم پر لائن نہ مارو” ۔ ان دیواروں اور برگر پیزوں سے مجبور ہوکر نوکری دوبارہ ڈھونڈنی پڑ ی ۔ اور یقین مانیں ایک دو ہفتوں میں ہی دوبارہ کام کرنے کا ارادہ ترک کر دیا ۔

    چونکہ میں نے زیادہ عرصہ کام سوشل میڈیا مارکیٹنگ میں کیا ہے تو میں نے اسی حوالے سے نوکریاں دیکھنی شروع کیں ۔ نوکری کی تفصیل دیکھی جس میں صرف انہوں نے یہ نہیں لکھا ہوا تھا کہ “آپ کو دنیا دوبارہ بنانی آنی چاہیئے “۔ نوکری میں ذمہ داریاں شامل کرتے ہوئے کمپنیز شاید بھول جاتی ہیں کہ وہ انسان کو نوکری دے رہے ہیں ، سپر مین کو نہیں ۔ نوکری کی تفصیل کچھ ایسے شروع ہوتی ہے۔

    “آپ کو سوشل میڈیا کے اکاؤنٹس چلانے آنے چاہیئے ، آپ کو پلان تیار کرنا  آنا چاہیئے ، آپ کو ہر ٹرینڈ کا پتا ہونا چاہئے ” اور اس کے بعد شروع ہوتا ہے وہ حصہ جس کا آپ نے سوچا بھی نہیں ہوتا  ” آپ کو ڈیزائننگ آنی چاہئے ، آپ کو فوٹو شاپ آنا چاہئے ، آپ کو کوڈنگ آنی چاہئے ، آپ کو ایک ہی ٹائم پر دس اکاونٹ چلانے آنے چاہئیں، آپ کو ایک ہی وقت پر ایک ہاتھ سے انگریزی اور ایک ہاتھ سے اردو لکھنی آنی چاہئے ۔ آپ کے پاس اتنی قابلیت ہونی چاہئے کہ آپ ایک ٹانگ پر کھڑے ہو کرٹویٹر پر  لوگوں کو جواب  دے سکیں ، آپ کے پاس اتنی قابلیت ہونی چاہئے کہ آپ  ایک دونی دو  دو  دونی  چار کو ایک سکینڈ میں 100 بار کہہ سکیں، آپ کو بیڈ شیٹ ٹھیک کرنی آنی چاہئے، آپ کو مردوں کی قمیضیں استری کرنی آنی چاہئے ، آپ کو انڈے کی زردی الگ کرنی آنی چاہئے ، آپ کو آلو گوشت کا شوربہ گاڑھا  کرنا آنا چاہئے، آپ کو اگر صوفے پر بیٹھنا آتا ہے تو آپ کو صوفے کے نیچے بیٹھنا بھی آنا چاہئے کیوں کہ کبھی بھی ضرورت پڑ سکتی ہے ۔ اس کے ساتھ ہی اگر آپ اپنا گردہ پھیپھڑےکی جگہ کر  سکیں تو  کیا ہی بات ہو جائے۔ ” اس کے ساتھ ہی ایک چھوٹے سے جملے میں لکھا  ہوتا ہے کہ “آپ کے پاس  20سال کا تجربہ ہونا چاہئے “، یہ جانتے ہوئے بھی کہ سوشل میڈیا کو ابھی 20 سال ہوئے بھی نہیں ۔ اس سب کے بعد ایک جملے میں یہ بھی لکھا ہوتا ہے کہ “باہر سے پڑھے ہوئے انسان کو ترجیح دی جائے گی۔ وہ لوگ جو ایک دن میں 48 گھنٹے کام کر سکیں ، صرف وہ اس نوکری کے لیے سی وی بھیجیں” ۔

    اس کے بعد اگر تو آپ کو ترجیح دی جاتی ہے اور انٹرویوپر بلایا جاتا ہے  تو سارے کاموں کی تنخواہ پوچھیں تو  50  ہزار سے اوپر کوئی نہیں  جائے گا ۔ اور اگر آپ 70 ہزار کی بات کریں تو وہ ساتھ ہی وہ آپ کے کام میں ایک اور ذمہ داری کا اضافہ کر دیں گے اور وہ ذمہ داری ان کے کپڑے دھونے کی بھی ہو سکتی ہے کیونکہ  وہ آپ سے کچھ بھی مانگ سکتے ہیں ۔اور وہ اس امید سے مانگتے ہیں کہ آپ آگے سے نہ کچھ مانگیں ، نہ کہیں۔ بلکہ اگر آپ نے یہ کہا کہ “پیار کیویں کراں ، تنخواہ بڑی تھوڑی اے “، تو وہ الٹا آپ کو کہیں گے

     ” آپ کے نخرے بہت ہیں “۔

    میرا ان کمپنیز سے سوال ہے کہ آخر آپ کس بات کا غصہ نکالنا چاہتے ہیں ملازم پر؟  ایک  انسان حالات کا شکار ہو کر نوکری کے لیے مارا مارا  پھر رہا ہے اور آپ اس کو نوکری کے نام پر موت کے سفر کا پمفلٹ کیوں تھما  دیتے ہیں ؟ کیا آپ ایک سکینڈ کے لیے بھی نہیں سوچتے کہ اگلا انسان ہے ، اس نے سونا ہے ، کھانا ہے ، پینا ہے ، زندگی کی باقی چیزوں کو دیکھنا ہے ۔  لوگوں کی مجبوریوں سے مت کھیلیں تاکہ آپ زندگی کے کارخانے چلا سکیں ۔ ایک بار نوکری کی ذمہ داریاں لکھتے ہوئے سوچ لیں کہ انسان چاہئے یا روبوٹ ۔

  • Job opportunities for Pakistanis to increase in Qatar

    Job opportunities for Pakistanis to increase in Qatar

    Qatar has planned to increase employment opportunities for Pakistanis to over 300,000 in the coming year from the current 150,000, Qatar consul General Mishal M Al-Ansari said on Monday.

    While addressing members of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), he said that the companies with 100 per cent Pakistani ownership have increased significantly in Qatar.

    The Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) agreement between Pakistan and Qatar is a great milestone. Both countries are already working on many joint ventures in areas like defence production, JF-17 aircraft project, defence training, agriculture, food and other industries.

    Al-Ansari said that despite terrible conditions due to coronavirus we are fully prepared for FIFA World Cup 2022 and many mega infrastructure projects have been completed.

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 26): ‘Trump ka aik crore naukriyo ka naara’, ‘wazire azam k sath dhoka’, ‘Usman Buzdar doosro se behtar’

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 26): ‘Trump ka aik crore naukriyo ka naara’, ‘wazire azam k sath dhoka’, ‘Usman Buzdar doosro se behtar’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 26, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    ‘Trump Ka Aik Crore Naukriyo Ka Naara’

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that Donald Trump has promised to provide one crore (10 million) jobs if he wins the presidential election scheduled for November 3. 

    ‘Wazire Azam K Sath Dhoka’

    According to Daily Jang, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed has said, “Mein zaati taur pr Nawaz Sharif ko bahar janay ki ijaazat denay ka haami tha… woh yahaan rahein yaa Bartania mein, iss se koi farq nahi parrta… yeh sarrkoon pay aanay wali jamaat nahi hai. Wazire azam ko Nawaz Sharif k bahar janay ka afsos hai aur unko andaaza hogya tha inn k sath dhoka hua hai… log deal k beghair bahar nahi jatay, kahin naa kahin mamla tay hota hai.”

    ‘Usman Buzdar Doosro Se Behtar’

    Prominent journalist Saleem Safi, in his column for Daily Jang, has said, “Karkardagi k lihaz se sab se zyada aitraz Usman Buzdar pr ho rha hai halaan k ap kisi bhi mayar pr parkhein tou KP aur Balochistan k wazire aala ki karkardagi Buzdar Sahib se kai guna kharaab hai. Buzdar Sahib ne kuch naya nahi kia tou pehle se bani cheezo ko tabah bhi nahi kia… KP mein pehle se qayim idaaro ko tabah kia gya jab k Balochistan tou har hawaly se tabah-haal hai… lekin siyasat aur media mein tabsara sirf Punjab aur Buzdar Sahib ka hota hai.”

  • Netizens are calling for unpaid internships to be cancelled

    Netizens are calling for unpaid internships to be cancelled

    Though we’re not living in normal times or circumstances currently, summertime for students studying in colleges and universities usually means internships. Proper internship programs in Pakistan are limited and most interns are required to work free of cost and are promised “exposure and experience” in return. Recently, Pakistani Twitter was lit with a debate on unpaid internships with netizens demanding a ban on them.

    The debate started when an old tweet resurfaced in which a Twitter user had called out a prominent influencer for promoting unpaid internships and had mocked them.

    The internship advertisement posted by Syed Muzammil Hasan Zaidi stated that he needed an intern/assistant to work on several projects with him. He clarified that the position is unpaid and that the successful candidate will get no leaves for three months. Incentives included getting a chance to work with top government officials and top creators in the digital media industry.

    Following that, Twitter users began to slam the influencer for promoting this and called for the culture of unpaid internships to be cancelled.

    https://twitter.com/theD_inDNA/status/1278712145866301441?s=20

    https://twitter.com/MeshalMalikk/status/1279026695920631809?s=20

    The debate is not just limited to Pakistan. People across the world are calling for a ban on this practise and are urging workplaces to be more inclusive.

    https://twitter.com/awkward_duck/status/1278000313581088769?s=20
  • At least 1,300,000 people in KP to lose jobs in 45 days?

    At least 1.3 million people could lose their jobs if a 45-day lockdown is put in place, a report prepared by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s Planning and Development Department revealed on Sunday.

    The report warns at least 460,000 people working as daily wagers and street vendors are set to lose their employment with “immediate effect”.

    The report, released on Sunday, highlighted the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the province’s economy.

    Estimating layoffs caused due to the lockdown in place to stop the spread of the pandemic, the report noted that “daily wage workers, paid worker by piece rate or work performed, paid non-family apprentice and street vendors” were highly vulnerable to the economic impact of coronavirus.

    The report also predicted that the growth of KP’s economy would drop from 3.73 per cent in 2019 to 2.9pc this year, while the gross domestic product (GDP) would go down from Rs13,35,942 million to Rs13,16,160m.

    The report also predicted that overall, some 1.3 million jobs could be lost during a 45-day lockdown. The highest losses would be seen in the transportation and storage sectors with a predicted loss of some 359,393 jobs while construction, manufacturing and wholesale sectors would also be highly affected with job losses of some 295,594, 258,664 and 216,252 respectively.

    The number of jobs lost could increase even more if the lockdown was extended, the report warned, estimating that some 2.7m jobs would be lost if the lockdown was extended to a six-month period while some 4.2m jobs would be lost if the lockdown remained in place for a year.

    However, the report observed that there would be “minimal impact” on the province’s agricultural sector.

    REPORT LAYS DOWN MECHANISM TO MITIGATE IMPACT:

    The report titled Coping Strategy: Mitigating Adverse Impact of COVID-19 on the Economy and Job Market in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also laid out the provincial government’s mechanism to deal with the impact.

    According to the report, some 1.5 million families in the province will benefit from the federal government’s Ehsaas Cash Disbursement Programme through which they would get Rs12,000 every month.

    The report voiced apprehension that the COVID-19 pandemic would also “render vulnerable” those people who do not fall under the federal government’s cash distribution programme criteria.

    The government would therefore form a committee at the Village Council level that would identify vulnerable families who would receive Rs6,000 from the government.

    Certain sectors would also be exempted from tax payments, the report said. Construction, wholesale, retail and transport sectors would be eligible to benefit from these tax exemptions.

    The government would also adopt a moratorium on loan payments for three months to “allow business higher liquidity to the most affected small and medium enterprises” while “mark-up due for the quarter ending 31 March would have to be paid by 15 June instead of 15 April”.

    The government would also pay advance salaries to officers from grade 1 to 17 to “sustain demand” if needed.

    The government would also consider deferral of payment of utility bills for three months to help support small businesses and shopkeepers, the report further added.

  • Around 10,000 Pakistanis lose jobs in UAE amid coronavirus outbreak

    Around 10,000 Pakistanis lose jobs in UAE amid coronavirus outbreak

    Due to the coronavirus outbreak in United Arab Emirates (UAE), 10,000 plus Pakistanis have lost their jobs, The News reported.

    Moreover, around 35,000 Pakistanis have registered with the consulate in Dubai in a bid to return Pakistan, Consul General Ahmed Amjad Ali Said.

    The officials informed that preparations are underway to bring back the stranded Pakistanis.

    Besides, “Tourists, unemployed and the elderly will be given preference,” as per evacuation policy.

    The screening measures have been completed at the Dubai airport but bringing Pakistanis back in such large number in very challenging for the authorities.

    According to Pakistani diplomats, Pakistan is a big labour supplier to the UAE — more than a million Pakistanis — who are living and working in UAE.

    In March, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Division Moeed W Yusuf had assured the nation that the government was in touch with the authorities of those countries where Pakistani passengers are stuck in transit.

  • Why people fail in job interviews and how to fix it

    Why people fail in job interviews and how to fix it

    Interesting research shows that people fear public speaking more than death. So can you imagine how difficult it can get for an average person to speak in public, in-classroom presentations, meetings; especially when you are being judged by a good number of people?

    Yes, practice does make a person perfect, but here are a number of things that can help you overcome your fears. Undoubtedly, building confidence is the only option, but here are some tools for smoothing the process.

    Know your audience

    Understanding your employer’s needs and concerns should be the main focus of your presentation. It means you should thoroughly research the company’s portfolio for what they do and how they do it. Moreover, you should also look into people who are going to interview you. You can get this information once you are called for the interview.

    Tell a story

    An effective way to prepare for presenting yourself is to do your own SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). Then combine this analysis with your achievements. This process demands creativity but it is worthwhile. So you need to align your research with your SWOT analysis to create a persuasive story to demonstrate your potential employers that why you’re the right candidate for the job.

    Create a call to action

    Remember, always apply for the job that you really want to do, or if you have experience in the desired filed. Because once you are close to wrapping up your presentation, it is important to give a call to action (CTA). CTA is a summary of what you state in the presentation and what you plan to do for achieving the goal that the company is looking forward to achieving. It will be the last thing they will remember about you.

    Rehearse for the interview

    Effective presentations are often well-rehearsed. Get a friend or colleague to practise a mock interview with commonly asked questions. Practice will allow you to avoid mistakes during the interview. Practice introducing yourself, your storytelling style and delivering an effective CTA. This will reduce any nervousness, and make you look more confident and prepared for the big day.

    Body language

    Interviewers may already make up their minds about a candidate within the first seven seconds of the interview. You must control your body language so as to seem confident and positive.

    Control over your speech

    Presenters and public speakers need to have clear, strong and confident voices… so do candidates in an interview. Drink water before a case interview, your interviewers do not want to hear you croaking your way through the interview. Also, practice varying your speech in terms of pitch and volume. Remember, effective communication isn’t only about what you say, it’s also how you say it.

    These six presentation skills are simple and effective for any job or case interview. Learn to master these skills and you will definitely be able to land any job you desire. Always remember, if you do your research, words and confidence will come automatically.