Doha: Qatar says it has opened a review of labour conditions for migrant workers after questions were raised about safety on construction sites, including projects for the 2022 World Cup. The study comes as football's governing body FIFA meets in Zurich to discuss Qatar issues that include possibly moving the tournament to winter to avoid the searing summer heat.

A statement issued on Wednesday by Qatar's labour minister, Ali Ahmed al-Kholeifi, says an outside legal consultant was hired to lead an independent review of worker conditions and related issues. Qatar and other Arab Gulf states bring in millions of migrant labourers, mostly from South Asia, for building projects. Conditions have generally improved, but complaints persist about low wages and practices such as employers keeping workers' passports.