Kathmandu, December 12:

Nepal and Qatar are set to review bilateral labour pact — signed some three years ago — and finalise an additional protocol to bring the accord into practice.

A five-member delegation led by joint secretary of the Qatar’s Labour Ministry has already arrived Kathmandu to finalise extended protocol.

“The two-day long joint secretary level discussion is expected to finalise contents of the protocol so that the labour agreement signed between Nepal and Qatar on March 21, 2005 in Doha can be implemented,” said Udhav Prasad Baskota, spokesperson at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management.

The pact — signed by the then foreign minister Ramesh Nath Panday — remained inactive because neither side took any initiative to bring it into practice.

According to Baskota, the meeting will finalise content of the protocol and later seal a technical agreement on the extended protocol. The protocol specifies the responsible authorities of both the countries to oversee labour related issues and implement it as per the spirit of the accord.

A joint committee including representatives from the two countries will be formed to review employment opportunities in the recipient country. The review meet will be held twice a year alternately in Nepal and Qatar.

Nepali workers will get remuneration and facilities as specified in the labour law of the host country. The protocol will remain an integral part of the labour agreement and be effective as long as the pact exists.

The draft protocol also states that the Nepali workers to be paid at par with other overseas employees. Presently, Nepalis draw around 500 riyals a month, some 300 riyals less than what others get.

Qatar has recently emerged as the most popular destination and has already employed over 1,50,000 Nepalis. Most of them are unskilled and involved in manual

works in construction works and few are working in service sector like petrol pumps,

hotels, restaurants and shopping malls.

During the first four months of current fiscal year, a total of 26,732 Nepali workers left for Qatar. Qatar has recently overtaken Malaysia as the most popular destination for Nepali jobseekers among the Gulf countries.