Overseas Pakistanis sent remittances amounting to $71.27 billion during the last five years, a senior official of Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a parliamentary body on Thursday.
Additional Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Irfan Yusuf Shami while briefing the Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources on problems faced by overseas Pakistanis abroad and Pakistan, said that Pakistanis based in foreign countries sent home $11.02 billion in 2010-11, $12.04 billion in 2011-12, $13.92 billion in 2012-13, $15.84 billion in 2013-14 and $18.45 billion in 2014-15.
He further informed the committee, which met with Senator Baz Muhammad Khan in the chair, that out of 8.5 million living abroad 2.0 million are in Saudi Arabia, 1.3 million in United Arab Emirates (UAE), 1.17 million in United Kingdom (UK), 1.0 million in United States of America (USA), 0.35 million in Canada and 0.24 Pakistanis are in Oman.
Shami further told the committee about the problems being faced by overseas Pakistanis in the country regarding admission of their children in educational institutions, inadequate housing facilities and illegal occupation on their land and property. Pakistanis face various problems abroad including non availability of Machine Readable Passport (MRP) and NADRA facilities in mission abroad, online application for POC/NICOP by illiterate/semi literate overseas Pakistanis, delays and non-payment of salaries by employers, expensive medical treatment, non availability of higher education facilities for children, lengthy procedures for transport of dead bodies, delayed payment of death compensation and discriminatory treatment of prisoners, he said.
He said that Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken effective steps for the welfare of overseas Pakistan. Major steps taken by the ministry include monthly updates from mission to all departments of overseas Pakistani, including prisoners, up-gradation of consular hall facilities in mission, MRP facilities have been established in 82 missions and installation is planned in all remaining 21 mission, NADRA facilities in 10 mission and establishment of and up gradation of community schools.
Shami said that there is a need to set up special cell for overseas Pakistani investors in Board of Investment (BOI). He also suggested tax rebates and establishment of duty free zones for overseas Pakistanis and additional fund should be provided for legal assistance and repatriation of Pakistani prisoners and detainees.
Senator Baz Muhammad Khan said that the contribution of foreign remittance by overseas Pakistanis has positive impact over the country economy and playing vital role in decrease of unemployment in the country, therefore government needs to take steps for solution of their problems.
Senator Rehman Malik said that Pakistanis living abroad are playing vital role in strengthening the economy of Pakistan by sending billion of foreign remittance but they have so far not been given right to vote. "The overseas Pakistanis should be given right to vote and efforts should be made to protect their assets in Pakistan," he said.
He said that the lake of legal attaches in Pakistani embassies and consulates abroad is one the main reason of problem faced by Pakistani living abroad.
Malik revealed before the .committee that 20 to 25,000 Pakistani living illegally in Turkey have been recruited in Daesh-ISIS and they were sent to Syria after imparting training in Iraq.
Abdul Qayyum said that despite sending billion of dollars to Pakistan, overseas Pakistanis are facing serious problems not only abroad but also in the country.
Senator Aurangzeb Khan while narrating the problems of Pakistanis in UAE said that UAE government treats Pakistanis as a third class citizens. "They deport Pakistanis without involvement in any crime", he said, adding that they give 600 dirham salary instead of 800 dirham.
Senator Hajji Saif Ullah Khan Bangash said Pakistanis living in UAE are facing serious problems, therefore, the concerned ministries need to take effectives steps for the solution of problems related to education, business and issuance of driving licenses.
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