EDITORIAL: The Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Overseas Pakistanis ...

has returned home after his extensive tour of eight African and Middle Eastern countries with sizable concentrations of Pakistani immigrants, convinced that there must be a complete overhaul of the existing system of recruitment of Pakistanis for employment abroad. ... It is widely known that ... [private recruiting] agencies have been plying a thriving racket... . ...[I]n many cases, job-seeking Pakistanis were refused entry at foreign destinations for travelling on forged papers... .

Indeed, it has long been apparent that if illegal emigration still takes place, it is largely because of the aid ... provided by the expanding network of recruiting agencies operating their nefarious trade... . It is equally patent that this form of human traffic tends to tarnish the image of the country in foreign lands... . ... [C]are must ... be taken to ensure that government agencies entrusted with the job too do not succumb to the same temptations ... which have become synonymous with ... private recruiting agencies. ...[I]t will be necessary to provide adequate safeguards ...

against graft, nepotism and other corrupt practices.