Prime Minister Imran Khan said yesterday that overseas Pakistanis, especially those employed as labourers, are the country’s most precious assets, and that their well-being is a priority for the government.
He gave assurances that all possible facilities would be extended to overseas Pakistanis, especially those employed as labourers.
The prime minister was expressing his opinions in a briefing given by officials from the ministry of overseas Pakistanis and human resources development, the Prime Minister’s Office media wing said in a press release.
Khan observed that it is the responsibility of the government to provide facilities to those expatriates, who work abroad to support their families.
The prime minister is of the view that a strategy should be devised for maximum utilisation of job opportunities emerging in the Gulf countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, so that the professionals in Pakistan could avail of those opportunities.
The secretary of the ministry of overseas Pakistanis and human resources development briefed Khan in detail about the functioning of the ministry and its attached departments.
Special Assistant to the prime minister on overseas Pakistanis, Zulfiqar Bukhari, was also present during the meeting.
On the instruction of the prime minister, a committee headed by Bukhari was constituted, which would present its recommendations for the resolution of issues being faced by overseas Pakistanis.
The committee, in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), would also determine the process for sending foreign remittances by the overseas Pakistanis, so that remittances could be legally transmitted to the country instead through informal means.
The meeting decided in principle to relocate community welfare attaches in Pakistan embassies, and the prime minister also directed that the attaches be moved to those places abroad with large concentrations of overseas Pakistanis.
The meeting also considered removing the condition of issuance of national identity card for overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) to those working as labourers abroad.
Khan directed for the appointment of a board of governors in the ministry concerned and its attached department on the basis of merit and professionalism.
The prime minister also directed for ensuring strict safety measures for the labourers working in the industrial units.
The meeting also agreed in principle to hand over affairs pertaining to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) from the Economic Affairs division to the ministry of overseas Pakistanis and human resource development.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would probe the cases of mismanagement and corruption cases of the previous governments.
Imran Khan: it is the responsibility of the government to provide facilities to those who work abroad as labourers to support their families.
