KHUJAND, July 26, 2013, Asia-Plus -- 569 labor migrants from Sughd province have been reported missing, Ms. Zaynura Sharipova, the head of the migration service agency’s office for Sughd told Asia-Plus today.

“714 children in families of these labor migrants have been left without care,” Sharipova said, noting that they have made an inquiry whether those labor migrants communicate with their families.

“It turned out that 569 residents of Sughd who traveled to Russia, for seasonal work have been missing,” Sharipova added.

According to her, the migration service agency’s office for Sughd is taking measures to find out whereabouts of those labor migrants.  Lists of them have been sent to Russia’s Federal Migration Service (FMS) and the “Zhdi Menya” (Wait for Me) Russian TV show’s office in Khujand.

According to the statistical data the migration service agency’s office for Sughd, 140,693 residents of Sughd have migrated from Tajikistan over the first six months of this year.  131,189 of them, including 13,285 women, have traveled abroad seeking better employment opportunities.  Meanwhile, 30,990 people (24,883 men and 6,107 women) have returned to the province over the same six-month period.