Should Local Talent Worry About Increased Chinese Professionals in Telecom Companies?

Pakistan

Those who are familiar with telecom trends must have notice the increased number of Chinese professionals working in local telecom companies.

These Chinese professionals, who were initially seen at the top slots only, are now increasingly penetrating into md-level and regional positions available in various companies, particularly the Huawei, ZTE and Zong.

It was just recently that Prime Minister of Pakistan approved the visa issuance for over 90,000 Chinese professionals who want to get into Pakistan to take up their responsibilities in various sectors including Telecom.

Reportedly, the bureaucracy was hurdling the Chinese professionals to get into country. However, Prime Minister, has asked the concerned authorities to issue all 90,000 Chinese the necessary visas to get into Pakistan.

Those who are familiar with the situation told ProPakistani that bureaucracy was reluctant to issue visas to Chinese professionals as local talent was rapidly replaced with Chinese professionals. This trend, if not taken into account,  would eventually create huge unemployment for local talent to only hamper local economy, said an official who believes that local talent – if available – should be preferred over any foreign resource.

Sources said that Chinese professionals are now employed in regional offices of telecom companies, which were otherwise held by local resources previously. This is happening despite the brilliant performance from local telecom professionals.

When asked that US, African or European countries are welcoming Chinese professionals then why Pakistan is reluctant to accept Chinese professionals, the source said that dynamics of Pakistani market is different than of US, Africa or European companies.

Sino-American partnership – according to the expert — can’t be compared with a market like Pakistan. He explained that America and Europe are huge markets with endless opportunities. Increased number of foreign talent will only mean more business to them.

Africa – on the other hands – lacks local expertise in various sectors where Chinese explicitly fill the gap and help the host nations, said the expert.

Pakistan, which has local talent available with limited market and demand, must prefer the utilization of local talent before employing foreign professionals. This will not only help our local social system but will result lesser revenue outflows of the country.

Experts said that legal confinement on employing foreign resources at mass level will result into bad name for the country, however, a well designed balance must be maintained in allowing foreign professionals to take up charge in companies that are operated in Pakistan.

This can be achieved by critically analysing the strength of foreign professionals in companies operated in Pakistan and by comparing them with count of local unemployed talent.

Experts say that Chinese companies, that have invested billion in Pakistan, should be respected and regarded. However, a compromise on local talent can be lethal in the long run.

PML (N) government, that has promised the nation the elimination of unemployment of youth, must consider the issue critically and handle this sensitive matter amicably.

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • We should be happy that at least someone wants to visit our country, invest and work spend money here and eventually local will get benefit out of it. Dont have to be short sighted

    • This moment is not to enjoy, it is a sad turn for all of Pakistanis, they(Chinese) are coming to get share of Pakistanis, not to invest. They are getting jobs, not starting business.

      • Thats our fault, we are giving them day to day job, where we could instead use them to train our people and then those people can take care of day to day jobs.

  • Allah barbad karay pata nai kis yahudi se paisayliye jo ab hamray dosto k pichay par gye ho

  • These companies helped Pakistan resources a lot in terms of polishing skills and deployment Worldwide, specially Huawei middle east is filled with resource from Pakistan.

  • Pakistanis can also try getting jobs in China (after learning Chinese language, of course)

    • They are not getting jobs even in Pakistan, how they can get in China???????? Pakistanis have first right/ priority to get jobs in Pakistanis.

  • The main crunch of this article is that lots of Chinese (90k) will get visa and enter Pakistan job market which is already at its worst. Expats used to be here at top level but Chinese interest in top to middle level is alarming for Pakistani professionals. Pakistani professionals are not afraid of the competition with Chinese talent (if it is fare). Chinese companies will prefer Chinese professionals there is no doubt about this, but my suggestion to policy makers and visa issuers is that please think about local talent and make some protection policy, otherwise we will lost the Pakistani professionals. Soon we will see a day when we have more Chinese in the town than Afghans.

  • The situation in Pakistan and China was quite similar. Both countries have professionals and both have more than the required number.
    Remember many of our professionals also working in china and many people go their for jobs also. Its up to the business itself, they hire the employees from parent country if they required. The unemployment issue doesn’t resolve by stopping them rather to generate jobs in local Industry which is dying day by day.
    I think the writer should also given the facts on how many Pakistanis working in China.

      • Mr ahead than 3rd Class, Where I compare the economies.
        you better first learn, think and then comment.

    • I would differ, these chinese are better than those British of old times, these focus on just work. BTW, china have done lots for Pakistan as we had done lots by accepting them on map of earth elalier than anyone else, together we can benefit each other well.

  • This is known as patriotism. Chinese are helping their fellowmen. They earn a lot of revenue from Pakistan and then send it back to their mother country. This is a lesson for us how Chinese help each other.

    • Good one dear and kindly add one more sentence that”they help each other and they dnt want pakistanis to develop.”its true any one believe or not

  • There is sometimes no need for a picture at every article.. This was one such example of that. but……………

  • seems Chinese trust Pak Govt not the nation? some embezzlement/money scams would have made them adopt this approach.

  • mera comment q remove kia? ab chinese k pichay par gye ho? shame on u, guys always say pak-chin dosti zindabad

    • Due to PAK Chine friendship, pakistan is going back ward in development field.They are just using pakistan for their sake nothing else.

      • Thats just negative way to see that, they will involve in matters only to extent we allow them and we should allow them to only extent we need. And then definitely have good relations with them as well.

    • I am an Electronics Engineer from UET. And I didn’t get a job in telecom industry because of saturation and there is no other industry this big for us. ALL HAIL PAK CHINA FRIENDSHIP.

      • electronics engineer ho . not telecom engineer , kisi electronics company me job dund lo like dawlance, orient, pel etc , ghar se niklo dunia ko talent dikao job mil jaye gi :)

        • I mean no offence but Orient, PEL, Dawlance? All three hardly induct 100 engineers per year (that too in power department). Whereas there are more than 3000 engineers graduating with Electrical & Electronics degrees each yaer. Telecom engineers are not in that 3000.. Every private and public sector university is offering telecom these days.

    • kisi ne apka comment delete nahi kia…bhala kisi ki kia majaal k apka comment delete karay….ab agar kisi ne comment delete kiya to…

  • me ne complain forword kardi ha k es tara ab ye log chinese k pichay par gye jo hamari country me development k lia arahay ha.

  • Yes local talent should be worried… I personally hate, that much of interference of Chinese in telecom industry… I mean literally they are everywhere. Zong, Telenor, Mobilink, Ufone, Warid & what not… !!! Ap her jagah unko ghusa rahy ho… Not a good sign… Chinese showed you just some cheap(price) technology and you all went crazy… !!! I think consequences could be catastrophic, maybe hum apny hi mulk main ghulam ban k reh jain… That’s what i am seeing !!!

    • apki qualification? himmat ha to maidan me ao or chinese k sat muqabla karo kon jeetta ha :) pakistani kitne ha china me? ye batao plz kitne pakistani china me ha education se le kar har post me

      • yar @aamir7:disqus ye @disqus_JxKg1Y9irT:disqus ko kahan say pakar k lay ho… Itni side china ki, itni ziada side, name say tou chinese nahi lgtin yeh… Khair anyways ma’am main telecom engineer hi hun, and i have been in this field since 2008, even huawei main bhi kaam kr chuka hun … so please shut up & relax :)… Cause you know nothing… Think out of the box ma’am… Yeh pak cheen dosti krty hain na hum, yehi lay k dobay gi aik din…!!! Unhain hamari dosti sy nhi revenue say gharz hai… !!!

        • ager kuch talent hota to aj tum yaha chat nai karte koi big post pe hotay or enjoy karte:) we love chinese to help us in jf17 thunder, we love china to invest in pakistan as telecom company ZONG and bid for 4G, the only 4G bidder :) if they want to work in isb its their love for us to work in a faild n terrorist state :) if u want to launch a 4G company n can invest more than 3billion dollors then we will send back these chinse to china :)

    • pakistanio ager tum logo me talent hota to aj pakistan kaha hota :) , shabash facebook ya kahi or chatting karlo :P

  • I know someone who works for one of the bigger Chinese telecom companies. The fact is that the Chinese are treated as royalty and there is a clear discrimination against the local staff. Likewise the Chinese do not share knowledge. I agree that the government can not actively stop them from coming in, but they can ensure that the rights of the local staff are well protected.

  • I know someone who works for one of the bigger Chinese telecom companies. The fact is that the Chinese are treated as royalty and there is a clear discrimination against the local staff. Likewise the Chinese do not share knowledge. I agree that the government can not actively stop them from coming in, but they can ensure that the rights of the local staff are well protected.

  • sab kay comments dekay.. jab se Pakistan bana toh ham lougon nay angraizon ko nikaala kay ham khud zaida acha chala lain gay.. anjaam yea hua kay jo idaray earning kar rahay thay..loss mein jana shuruh ho gay.. kion kay hamain pakistanis ko prefer karna tha.
    pakistan mein foreign lougon nay pakistan kay leay fights keen.. kisi ko pata hai iss baat ka?
    example.. Aik Polish pilots ka group jinhon nay Pakistani pilots ko trained kia 1947 mein pakistan aa kay aur yehan kay reh gay… unhain nay pakistan kay leay jahaz b uraye aur india ja kay bombs b phaink kay aaye.. aur govt nay unhain achi positions b deen un ki khidmat kay aitraaf mein..
    1960s mein Pakistan NASA kay saath mil kay space pe work kar raha tha.. aur apnay small satellites b bhaijhay.. aur jab se pakistan kay haathon mein Sparco hai toh NASA kay loug Pakistan kay lougon ko NASA enter karna pasand nahi kartay..
    aur baqi kasar Mir Shakeel aur Mir jafar jaisay lougon nay puri karnay ki kasam khai huey hai kay ham sab se wafadaar hain par back se knife ka waar kartay hain..
    iss se better toh hindu hain kay samnay aa kay batatay hain kay hamain nafrat hai muslims se.

  • As an Electronic Engineer I am still Jobless due to these kind of situations..Now local talent will be badly affected…Why PM is not sending us to china rather than inviting Chinese professionals to create more unemployment in pakistan.

  • This is good idea to get benefits from expertise of Chinese professionals, but strategy must be different in a way that bring Chinese in, train your locals in their supervision and then let them go after you have enough manpower to cope with stuff yourself. Then those trained Pakistanis can train others.


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