ISLAMABAD, Dec 17 (APP): A total of 980,000 Pakistanis were sent abroad for employment by the incumbent government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the last two years.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Syed Zulfikar Abass Bukhari said the migrant Pakistanis would earn better livelihood to support their families in a better way.
In a message on the occasion of World Migrants day -being observed on Friday December18, he said that Pakistan recorded growth in economy dur to 6.75 percent contribution of Overseas Pakistanis in country’s GDP.
Remittances rose to 16.73 percent since 2014-15 with the leading share coming from GCC countries, he said.
It is noteworthy that Pakistan received a record $21.84 billion as remittances over the previous financial year (2019-20) despite the outbreak of COVID-19.
Zulfikar Bukhari shared that “this is the first time Overseas Pakistani Foundation (OPF) has turned around from a loss making entity to a profit making organization”.
It has introduced a number of initiatives from fair allocation of properties to overseas Pakistanis to provision of health insurance and distribution of financial assistance to the families of overseas Pakistanis, he added.
Around Rs.165.3 million has already been disbursed amongst 424 destitute families.
To ensure Overseas Pakistanis’ access to the law as guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan, the ministry has set up Specials Desk in Model Police Station for efficient complaint management, a Naya Pakistan Calling Web Portal, Reconciliatory Councils and specialized Fast Tracks Courts.
To promote Overseas Pakistanis’ access to education, the ministry has launched scholarship programs, E learning programs, language courses, fee concession schemes (of upto Rs.102 million), internship programs, and primary schools for children.
An amount of Rs.6.018 million has already been distributed among student children of overseas Pakistanis.
A three percent quota has also allocated for disabled students at OPF educational institutions besides provision of wheel- chairs.
Understanding the need to secure safe and fair migration for Migrant Workers, the authority has managed to introduce Biometric Registration System of Intending emigrants.
More than 970,000 workers have been registered biometrically for employment abroad through system linked with NADRA and FIA to ensure the highest level of efficiency, improvement in service delivery and curbing malpractices.
The government has taken various initiatives including one window facilitation desks, made easier OEP license renewal mechanisms, awareness programs, complaint management systems via Pak Complaint portals, skills training and aptitude matching programs to facilitate overseas.
The registration of return-migrants to aid socio-economic reintegration in Pakistan, more than 31,000 returnee migrants and workers registered on portal to facilitate the returnees in socio-economic reintegration.
Significantly, bilateral Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in the field of labour and manpower have been signed with Saudi Arabia, Algeria, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Malaysia, South Korea, Bahrain, Japan and others.
Moreover, MOUs with Spain, South Africa, Syria, Ecuador, Ukraine, Botswana and Azerbaijan were in the pipeline.
It was the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s dedication that inspired him (Zulfi) to make significant efforts towards the most marginalised segment of overseas Pakistanis who ate imprisoned overseas.
It is the anguish of our fellow Pakistanis – languishing in prisons across the world – that propelled Zulfi to look into possibilities of their repatriation.
Pakistan has managed the repatriation of over 80001 detainees and prisoners from around the world in the past two years.
Despite the pandemic which stopped the world in its tracks, we were still able to secure the return of many Pakistani citizens, in furtherance of the PM’s vision, said SAPM.
