Indian among 3 WC security guards still in Qatar jail over unpaid wages

Doha: It has been nearly five months since the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, three World Cup security guards who were detained while trying to resolve a dispute over unpaid wages are still being held in the country, local media reported.

Pakistan nationals Shakir Allah and Zafar Iqbal and Indian national Tanveer Hussain have allegedly been sentenced to six months in prison and fined 10,000 Qatari riyals each.

Human rights group Equidem initially reported the development which was later verified by the Guardian.

Indian and Pakistani nationals were employed by local private security firm Stark Security Services for the football tournament, but they were fired days after the match despite having months left on their employment contracts.

Human rights organization Equidem is calling for the immediate release of workers.

Equidem claimed that “this is the real cost of FIFA’s reckless disregard for the rights of the people they help make huge profits”.

As per reports, besides the three, there are nine others who were let go before their contracts expired. Four of them have been deported and five others have been terminated but remain in the country.

“We went to Qatar to earn money and make a better life for our family, but the company and authorities cheated us. We felt so helpless,” a fired security guard from Pakistan told Guardian.