Indian doctor's dues held up in SA in labour dispute

Dubai, Sep 6 (UNI) An Indian doctor in Saudi Arabia, continues to remain a virtual prisoner in the kingdom because of an unresolved labour dispute, despite the intervention of Riyadh government, the Indian embassy, national human rights body and the media.

Dr Ganesh Pande had filed a case in the labour court against his sponsors failure to give him his dues amounting to Saudi Rial 178,000 for his 17 years of service at a polyclinic.

However, even after three years, he is yet to see any progress in the case as his sponsor had failed to turn up for the hearing.

His passport, held back by the sponsor, was finally returned to him, but by that time it had expired along with his resident permit, thereby forcing him to skip the wedding of his daughter and the funerals of his aunt and brother in India.

In a signed article, Arab News editor-in-chief Khaled Almaeena pointed out that even the National Society for Human Rights has pleaded its inability to resolve the case.

UNI XC AKJ MIR KN1438