Pakistan is set to sign with the European Union (EU) an agreement, seeking an enhanced job quota for its citizens in member states and in return Islamabad will assist in deportation of its illegal migrants. The accord that was recently been cleared by the federal cabinet is part of the proposed third generation agreement between Pakistan and the European Union, a top official says.
"We (Pakistan) are about to sign the agreement (with EU). After the approval by the cabinet a month ago, there is no other hurdle remaining," foreign secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Presided over by MNA Malik Allah Yar Khan, the committee met here on Wednesday to review a special audit report on revenue receipts of Pakistan missions abroad for 1997-2001.
Khan said the government had finalised the draft of readmission agreement to fulfil a precondition by the EU for the signing of the third generation agreement.
Under the proposed agreement, Islamabad will have to accept with open heart all of its illegal migrants deported by the EU.
Additionally, the country will also be bound to make sure that such elements could not travel to Europe.
Pakistanis will not be entitled for any sort of clemency the EU announces off and on for illegal migrants to get themselves legitimacy.
The issue of illegal migrants came under discussion at the PAC meeting during deliberations on an audit objection about the involvement of one such person in embezzlement of consular fee at Pakistan's Paris mission.
According to audit department, one, Ali Naseem, a Pakistani residing in France, was hired by the mission in Paris. The gentleman disappeared after the discovery of Rs 1.982 million fraud and Pakistani authorities could not catch him due to complexities of local French laws. The revelation angered members and they called for improving the financial system to avoid such incidents repeat in the future.
Auditor General Younas Khan urged the Foreign Ministry to simplify the system of collecting fee for passport seekers abroad and transacting it back home.
"The system (of collecting and dispatching consular fee) is still very vague. We have so far not been able to simplify it. Mission often retain money for a longer period and it causes scams," Younas commented.
Another audit objection was about variations between departmental and banks figures of consular fees at Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Dubai and Madrid missions.
Riaz Muhammad Khan made an attempt to justify this 'mistake' by saying it wasn't a case of embezzlement but was a result of carefree registration process. His point was that such 'mismanagement' occurred because Pakistan missions abroad were understaffed.
But his argument could not satisfy the panel that constituted a sub-committee to probe the matter further. Earlier, the committee directed the Senate Secretariat to submit a detailed report about private housing societies using the name of institutions including the Parliament to cheat people.
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