Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday announced a wide-ranging welfare package for overseas Pakistanis, pledging to resolve legal issues, provide tax relief, and create job and education opportunities.
Speaking at the first Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad, the prime minister said expatriates are “the pride of the nation” and praised their contributions to Pakistan’s economy.
Over 1,200 overseas Pakistanis from around the world attended the event.
Sharif said a special court for overseas Pakistanis has been established in Islamabad and will be expanded to all provinces to speed up the resolution of their legal cases.
“To support this, the government is introducing e-recording and e-filing so overseas Pakistanis can give evidence via video link,” he said. He also ordered NADRA to complete the system within 60 days and promised legal amendments to prevent false litigation.
Education and financial reforms
The prime minister announced a 5% quota for children of overseas Pakistanis in chartered universities and institutes in Islamabad and a 15% quota in medical colleges.
He also granted a five-year age relaxation for male overseas Pakistanis applying for government jobs and seven years for female applicants.
NAVTTC will offer 5,000 skill development courses for the children of expatriates, he added.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will now treat overseas Pakistanis as filers, giving them relief from banking and transaction taxes. Sharif also announced the revival of the Green Channel at airports within a week to ease travel procedures.
The government has set up special facilitation offices in Punjab and Balochistan, with plans to expand to KP, Sindh, and AJK.
Sharif praised Punjab’s digital reforms, including online sale deed registration, and said this would be piloted at Pakistan’s High Commission in London and other missions abroad.
Economic impact and recognition
He highlighted the $4.1 billion in remittances sent in March and projected the total for this fiscal year to exceed $38 billion, surpassing Pakistan’s total exports.
To recognize these contributions, Sharif announced that civil awards would be given to outstanding overseas Pakistanis every August 14 based on remittance data verified by the State Bank.
“I will be your CEO,” he said, vowing to personally oversee expatriate investments and ensure their protection through coordination with the cabinet and business community.
The prime minister praised the Pakistan Army and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, calling him “a man of his words and unmatched capability.”
He condemned terrorism, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and urged citizens to reject anti-military propaganda online.
Sharif also reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the people of Kashmir and Gaza, decrying Israeli “brutal ceasefire violations” and the deaths of over 60,000 Muslims in Gaza.
Chairman of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Syed Qamar Raza said the prime minister had accepted 14 major demands of the diaspora and formed a committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
He announced that a mega Overseas Convention will now be held every April and credited General Asim Munir’s support in helping organize this year’s event on a short notice.
