ISLAMABAD, Jun 23 (APP):Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari Tuesday apprised Prime Minister Imran Khan that during the last 18 months about one million Pakistanis had been sent aboard whereas stability was recorded in receipt of foreign remittances when compared with other countries of the region during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The prime minister was further briefed that the remittances during the month of May this year stood around US $20.5 billion against US$20.1 billion in the corresponding month last year.
The prime minister was chairing a meeting, which considered various proposals for extending incentives to the overseas Pakistanis and the recent status of remittances, PM Office Media Wing, in a press release, said. The meeting was attended by Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant Dr Shahbaz Gil, secretary finance and other senior officials. State Bank of Pakistan Governor Reza Baqir and deputy governor also attended the meeting through video link.
Addressing the meeting, the prime minister said the overseas Pakistanis had been an asset for the country and provision of facilities in different sectors, including sending of remittances, was the government’s top priority. He also stressed upon imparting of professional training to the skilled and workers in view of availability of job opportunities and requirement of markets abroad, so that they could get better opportunities.
The prime minister also directed the adviser on finance and the SBP governor to finalize the incentives package over remittances in the earliest so that its immediate implementation could be ensured۔