ISLAMABAD, Feb 09 (APP):Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari has formally initiated the ‘Pakistan Banao Certificate’ (PBC) promotional campaign from the United Kingdom (UK) urging the overseas Pakistanis to directly participate in the national development by purchasing the newly launched instrument online.
The Warsi Foundation in this regard organized a fundraiser in Bradford on Friday, where the SAPM sensitized the Pakistani diaspora about benefits of the new initiative taken by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for them and the country, a message received here from the UK Saturday said.
Zulfiqar Bukhari attended the event as chief guest on the invitation of Member House of Lords Sayeeda Warsi, who is also an overseas Pakistani.
Speaking on the occasion, Zulfiqar Bukhari said the expatriate Pakistanis, who had been declared as the most valuable asset of the country by the PTI government, had a crucial role to play in converting Pakistan into an economic hub as envisaged by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said the prime minister had assigned him to mobilize the Pakistani community all over the world for making investment in the country..
The SAPM said the certificate was was the first remarkable step of the incumbent government for the expatriates to invest in the country. It was a risk-free instrument of minimum 5,000 US dollar denomination without upper limit having three and five years maturity time with 6.25 and 6.75 per cent annual interest rate respectively, which could be purchased individually.
He said the bond was just one click away as it could be bought via its website by submitting National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis and valid documents.
Citing examples, Bukhari said,“The overseas communities of China and Turkey have played their due role to help flourish their countries’ economies and with your assistance, better opportunities can be created for our upcoming generation.”
He also urged the participants of event to enlighten the Pakistani community here about the advantages of the new investment certificate as their more investment in it would boost Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves.
The SAPM also interacted with the leaders of the Pakistani business community in the UK and heard their concerns for making investments in Pakistan at another event organized by Naz Shah, Member of British Parliament.
Bukhari informed them that the new expat-friendly initiatives were being planned in Pakistan and assured them that ease of doing business would be ensured in the new plans.
“It is time for the Pakistani business community abroad to come forward and utilize their skills and
resources for the development of their home,” he said, pledging that the government would be facilitating them in every domain.
He said the country would be a destination of businessmen from abroad in coming days as the prime minister’s team was working vigorously to attract overseas investors for which a new system of e-visa was being introduced.
At the end of the event, he thanked MP Naz Shah and the participants by saying: “I feel encouraged to see such response from the Pakistani community in the UK, everyone is willing to give, which defines the love that every Pakistani expat has in his or her heart even after being away from their homeland for so many years.”