Saudi Family Throws Lavish Farewell Party for Pakistani Worker After 45 Years of Service
In a heartwarming gesture of appreciation and loyalty, a family in the Saudi province of Qasim recently threw a grand feast to bid farewell to a Pakistani worker who had spent his entire life with them and was retiring to Pakistan.
Mukful Maqbool, the Pakistani worker, had been sponsored by the family and had worked for them for 45 years. Mukful is the Arabic term for ‘sponsored’.
The Saudi ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmed Al-Maliki, shared a video clip of the feast on his Twitter account, with a caption in the Urdu language that read, “A Saudi family in Qasim region is bidding farewell to their Pakistani mukful Maqbool after 45 years of service in a special and meaningful ceremony that reflects the appreciation and loyalty shown by this distinguished family and our beautiful society. Not surprising.”
People from the Indian subcontinent who wish to work and live in Saudi Arabia must have a Saudi citizen sponsor them. This sponsor is called a ‘kafeel’. While in some cases, the sponsored individual is directly employed by the kafeel, in other cases, they work with another employer and pay a portion of their income to the kafeel.
Maqbool had apparently worked directly for the family that sponsored him, spending most of his life with them. The retirement of Maqbool, who is now an old man, is clearly an emotional moment for both him and the family he worked for.
قصيم کے علاقے میں ایک سعودی خاندان اپنے پاکستانی مكفول مقبول کو 45 سال تک کام کرنے کے بعد ایک خصوصی اور قابل قدر تقریب میں الوداع کہہ رہا ہے جو تعریف اور وفاداری کی عکاسی کرتا ہے، جو اس معزز خاندان اور ہمارے خوبصورت معاشرے کی طرف سے حیران کن نہیں ہے۔pic.twitter.com/OD37d6ixNR— نواف بن سعيد المالكي (@AmbassadorNawaf) February 15, 2023
The video clip shared by Ambassador Al-Maliki shows a wedding ceremony-like feast, with an abundance of food, music, and dancing. Maqbool was also presented with a shield in recognition of his services, highlighting the family’s appreciation for his years of hard work and dedication.
This touching story serves as a reminder of the human connections that can form despite cultural and linguistic differences.
It also highlights the importance of valuing and celebrating the contributions of those who have worked tirelessly to support their families and communities.
