MINGORA: An overseas employment scam has surfaced in Swat’s tehsil Kabal, where 127 young men were allegedly defrauded of more than Rs12.8 million by a local agent who promised them lucrative jobs in Saudi Arabia.
A group of affected youth, including Hazrat Khan, Iqrar-ul-Hassan, Saqib Khan, Bilal and Yasir Hameed, shared details of the scandal at a press conference at the Swat Press Club.Victims’ spokesperson Adnan Bacha alleged that the accused, Sher Ali, a resident of Topsin village, collected Rs12,899,930 from aspiring workers by assuring them immediate employment in a well-known Saudi dairy and yogurt packaging company.
He said Sher Ali also produced falsified endorsements from individuals residing abroad, which further reinforced his claims. The accused managed to obtain only seven visit visas, all of which were cancelled within three months.
The aggrieved men said these seven youths were now stranded in Saudi Arabia as illegal residents, facing legal risks, financial losses and uncertainty about their future.The victims alleged that after the scam came to light, they filed a complaint through the local assistant commissioner, but police investigations have progressed at a frustratingly slow pace.
“Despite clear evidence and multiple appeals, the accused is still at large. We fear he may flee or destroy important records,” said Adnan Bacha.Calling for urgent intervention, the victims appealed to the chief minister, the inspector general of police, the DIG Malakand and the deputy commissioner of Swat to ensure the immediate arrest of Sher Ali and recovery of the defrauded amount.They urged authorities to take strict action against individuals and networks involved in exploiting job-seeking youth under the guise of overseas employment.
