Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro has said the government was aware of the concerns of overseas Pakistanis on the law and order situation and told them, a well-thought out strategy was in place to address the problem.
"There is tremendous focus at all levels to improve the law and order" and assured them they would soon see tranquility return to the country of their origin he told Pakistan-UK Chambers of Commerce and Industry at a dinner hosted in his honour at a local hotel here on Sunday. Pakistan High Commissioner in UK Dr Maleeha Lodhi, PML(Q) Central Information Secretary Senator Traiq Azeem, Chairman of the Chambers Ikram Khan, its President Tariq Chaudhary and its Secretary General Razi Khan were present on the occasion.
In the question-answer session the chairman Senate answered many questions of the expatriates.
Soomro said Karachi was faced with the law and order problem but the government was determined to solve it. However, he said the scale of challenges facing the country should be kept in view particularly when there is lack of resources but the will was certainly there to tackle it.
Answering a question about corruption at the lower level, Soomro said the salary structure of employees needed to be revised, coupled with the steps to reduce use of discretion. The people could also play their role by voting for the right people in the elections.
Fielding a question on terrorism, he said things were not as bad as is being portrayed hence the overseas Pakistanis could help improve the image of the country of their origin.
Soomro said the government was striving hard to reduce poverty and improve the living standards of all Pakistanis. This is a challenge that has to be accepted and overseas Pakistanis can help their country by making investment, which can create jobs.
He said "Khushali Bank" Aga Khan Macro Credit Bank and Women Bank were giving loans to the people to help them start their own business.
Soomro said women had a very important role to play for the country's development hence they were being empowered in Pakistan and their unprecedented representation in the parliament and local levels was an indication. Women were being given vocational training in various trades to enable them play their part in the society.
The Senate Chairman called for giving equal attention to check population growth and human development, as both were necessary.
He praised the overseas Pakistanis for playing a very significant role in the progress of their country and added that they were a great asset.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Maleeha Lodhi expressed her gratitude to overseas Pakistanis for lobbying with their Members of the European Parliament to gain their support on the ratification of the Third Generation Agreement between Pakistan and the European Parliament.
Maleeha said our opponents wanted to defeat us but they were defeated because the European Parliament ratified the Third Generation Agreement on co-operation and trade between Pakistan and EU. She also thanked the expatriates for their support to the readmission of Pakistan into the Commonwealth.
The envoy assured the overseas Pakistanis for bringing more improvement in the consular services and urged them to give ideas and suggestions in this regard.
In his brief remarks Central Information Secretary PML (Q) Senator Tariq Azeem who also played a pioneering role in establishment of the Pak-UK Chambers of Commerce, hoped the chambers would grow from strength to strength in days ahead.
Tariq Azeem said Pakistanis had to go through great difficulties when they were setting up their business in the UK in 1960's. But now 18 percent of the Asians were self-employed against the 14 percent local people here. This speaks of their talent and enterprising skills.
He urged overseas Pakistanis to make investment in the country of their origin as the government was offering lucrative incentives to the investors. He urged them not to he daunted by the bureaucratic hiccups in their way and called upon them to capitalise on the current investor friendly ambience. If the Pakistanis can set up textile industry in Birmingham and Manchester, they surely can earn dividends by starting business back home, he said.
President of Pak-UK Chambers of Commerce and Industry Tariq Chaudhary said Pakistan was in capable hands hence the expatriates should not be worried about it as its stature was rapidly improving in the comity of nations. Its recent return to the Commonwealth is an indication.
He eulogised Islamabad's envoy here Dr Maleeha for improving consular services and bringing out a pamphlet titled "Pakistan" containing all necessary information about visa consular services and the country.
Ikram Khan, Chairman of the Chambers said it would soon open its membership to the overseas Pakistanis living in Europe and the compatriots in Pakistan.
Secretary General Razi Khan in his welcome address called for follow-up of the one-day investment conference held here last month. He said Pakistan was economically sound at the stage, and never seen before in the past but the overseas Pakistanis still had some concern about law and order situation there.
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