ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 (APP):Senate’s Standing Committee for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development on Thursday underlined the need for establishing Overseas Pakistanis Commissions (OPCs) in other provinces on the pattern of Punjab.
Presiding over the committee meeting, Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar observed that the provincial governments should own the idea of setting up the OPCs in provinces.
Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt called for a detailed briefing from the team of Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission (OPC) on its working and steps taken so far for facilitating the expats.
The officials of Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development told the committee that an OPC had been set up in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was operational. The Sindh government also agreed to establish the OPC in the province, they added.
The Chairman Committee said the problems faced by the expatriates could be overcome to a great extent if the OPCs were formed at the provincial level.
As regards to the issues of Pakistani pensioners languishing in foreign jails, the Chairman Committee sought details from the Federal Secretary for Overseas Pakistani and Human Resource Development in the next meeting.
He said the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation had made arrangements to repatriate Pakistanis released from prisons in Saudi Arabia and also brought back Pakistanis from China.
About the problems faced by intending emigrants who want to go abroad, the ministry’s secretary said they were working with the National Command and Operation Centre to arrange a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine for them.
The Chairman Committee also raised complaints of the employees of Workers Welfare Fund.
To this, the Secretary said funds were scarce in Sindh and KPK due to less number of industries.
He assured that arrears of workers in Balochistan, Sindh and KPK would be settled soon.
The committee chairman said all possible facilities should be provided to the workers and the poor.
The meeting also discussed the bill titled “The Emigration (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and recessed further discussion on the bill until the next meeting.
Among others, multiple Senators including Mushtaq Ahmed, Keshoo Bai, Khalida Ateeb, Liaqat Khan Taraqai, and Faisal Vawda attended the meeting.
