LAHORE, Jun 21 (APP): Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said that the overseas Pakistanis should be given representation through reserved seats in the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies to acknowledge their services for the country.
Addressing a press conference alongside Vice-Chairman Overseas Pakistanis Commission (OPC) Punjab Chaudhry Waseem Ramay at the Governor’s House here on Monday, he said overseas Pakistanis are a great asset to the country, adding that they should be provided an opportunity to be part of the democratic process.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister (SACM) Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan was also present at the press conference.
The Governor Punjab said the government would try to reach consensus with the opposition parties on the issue of right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis, adding that giving right to vote to the overseas Pakistanis is a historic step and opposition parties should support government in legislation instead of obstructing the historic law.
He said the OPC Punjab has resolved 10,000 complaints of overseas Pakistanis in two years, adding that the commission also recovered land worth 25 million from land grabbers and handed them over to the overseas Pakistanis.
Sarwar said scope of the OPC Punjab is being extended to Tehsil level after districts so that the problems of overseas Pakistanis could be solved in a prompt manner.
He thanked the sitting and former honorable Chief Justice of Lahore High Court (LHC) who appointed special judges to hear cases of the overseas Pakistanis due to which these cases are being settled within six months.
To a question, Sarwar said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision to refuse USA its airbase is in line with national aspirations, adding that the opposition parties must not play politics on an issue of national importance. He said the decision is not made under political pressure but in the larger national interest. He said 220 million Pakistanis stand by the decision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Regarding Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s statement, he said everyone knows that nobody can pressurize Prime Minister Imran Khan.
SACM on Information, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, said in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the steps taken by the Overseas Commission Punjab under the leadership of Governor Punjab and Chief Minister Punjab to solve the problems of overseas Pakistanis are unprecedented.
She said the previous governments always ignored the problems of overseas Pakistanis and today all opposition parties including PML-N are opposing giving the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis, adding, “We will not allow them to succeed and all rights of overseas Pakistanis will be safeguarded.”
Vice Chairman OPC Punjab Muhammad Wasim Ramey said District Overseas Pakistanis Committees have been formed in 29 districts for immediate redressal of grievances of Overseas Pakistanis. He said the committee will comprise of Chairman, DC Vice-Chairman, DPO Member and ADCR Secretary, whereas it has also been decided to set up a Board of Revenue (BoR) Center and a Police Station in the OPC Punjab office.
The VC OPC said a mobile app is being developed with the help of the Punjab Information and Technology Board (PITB) for the convenience of overseas Pakistanis which will be launched soon, adding that with the special efforts of the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Chief Minister of Punjab, 100 percent problems of the overseas Pakistanis will be solved after the enactment of the OPC Act.
VC OPC Punjab Ramay said about 5300 complaints were resolved during the PML-N government, while the present government has resolved more than 9300 complaints in two and a half years.