2 weeks Ago By Qatar Tribune
Qatar tribune Overseas Pakistanis have welcomed the welfare package announced by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the two-day Overseas Pakistanis Convention held in Islamabad recently. More than 1,200 overseas Pakistanis from various countries, including Qatar, participated in the convention, highlighting the contributions of over 10 million overseas Pakistanis. The welfare package for overseas Pakistanis is designed to address longstanding legal challenges and offering a range of incentives, including education and employment job quotas, civil awards, and skill development opportunities.
The PM announced that a special court dedicated to overseas Pakistanis has already been established in Islamabad and will soon be expanded to all provinces. This initiative aims to provide expatriates with a more efficient and expedited legal process, ensuring swift resolution of their cases and addressing longstanding judicial concerns faced by the overseas community. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced special quotas in educational institutions to support the children of overseas Pakistanis.
These include a 5 percent quota in all chartered universities, amounting to 10,000 seats, as well as a 5 percent allocation in degree-awarding institutes in the federal capital. Additionally, 15 percent of seats in medical colleges have been reserved, ensuring greater access to higher education for expatriate families. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the overseas Pakistani community for their steadfast support of the nation’s economy, highlighting their significant financial contributions.
He noted a record-breaking $4.1 billion in remittances sent in March alone and projected that by the end of the fiscal year, the total remittances would exceed $38 billion, surpassing Pakistan’s overall exports. This acknowledgment underscores the vital role expatriates play in sustaining economic growth and stability.
He announced that every year on August 14, outstanding overseas Pakistanis would be conferred civil awards based on their remittance contributions, as monitored by the State Bank of Pakistan. This initiative recognises and celebrates the vital economic role expatriates play in strengthening Pakistan’s financial stability and growth. The diplomatic missions and the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) will submit their nominations for this purpose.
He also announced that the Green Channel at airports, originally introduced by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, would be revived within a week to simplify procedures for overseas Pakistanis. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that overseas Pakistanis will now be recognized as filers by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), granting them financial relief in banking and business transaction taxes. This decision aims to facilitate smoother financial dealings for expatriates while acknowledging their economic contributions to the country.
Copy 23/04/2025 10.
