Hyderabad man dreams big in Saudi Arabia, ends up as a slave

A resident of Hyderabad, Mohd Taufeeq, had dreamt big when he had left for Saudi Arabia a year ago. However, the 35-year old resident of Talabkatta is now struggling to come back, unable to bear the torture he is undergoing. Promised the job of a driver, Taufeeq was said to be happy initially. "He even drove the Kafil's car for three months," said his sister Farzana. 

Things, however, changed drastically as he was asked to do household chores, instead of driving. Farzana said,"Taufeeq agreed but as the days passed the workload increased. He was unhappy with the Kafil (employer) because he wasn’t giving him time to rest and his health started deteriorating." She further added, "When he complained to the kafil about this and said he wanted to return, the kafil told Taufeeq that he could not go home until he completed his tenure of two years."

Meanwhile, social activists in Hyderabad rue that people migrating to Saudi Arabia are not being counselled properly about the working and the living conditions there. They aspire to have better living standards, but land up as slaves in Saudi Arabia. Social worker Md Ghouse, for instance, says, "It’s known that once people land in Saudi Arabia their passports are taken by their kafils. Before planning to migrate they should think of the consequences and take a wise decision.” Having said that, he also proposes the government to take measures to increase awareness among the daily wage labourers aspiring to go to Saudi Arabia.

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• telangana