LAHORE: Chairman Pak Europe Friendship Federation Ch Pervaiz Iqbal on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to save overseas Pakistanis from the commission mafia sitting in the Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission.
Addressing media at Lahore Press Club, he said the Commission was a valuable institution but the clerks sitting there are fleecing overseas Pakistanis by charging commission to resolve property-related matters.
These clerks blackmail overseas to pay commission to evacuate property from possessors. He said the overseas were sending remittances in bulk every month but they were facing problems in resolution of their problems within Pakistan.
According to him, one overseas family was facing hardship in resolving their property issue after the death of their family head. He lamented that the tall claims of the prime minister to honour the services of overseas have proven wrong and the overseas Pakistanis are not satisfied with the situation on ground.
He has appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to start paying salary to the members of the Commission and save the overseas from pick pocketing. He said the Federation was actively defeating the false propaganda of Indian government throughout the Europe.
He mentioned the revelations made by the EU Disinfolab regarding Indian Chronicles and added that the Federation was fully attentive to the ulterior motives of the Indian government.
According to him, the Federation has responded anti-Pakistan propaganda by all possible ways and means. He has further clarified that the Federation was not charging a single penny from the government of Pakistan for its national service.
He further told media that he was visiting the EU parliaments over the last 20 years to promote Kashmir cause through the platform of Friends of Kashmir.
The Federation had also tabled a resolution against unknown graves in Kashmir back in 2007, he said, adding that the Federation has played an active role in ensuring hearing on the Kashmir issue in the EU parliament in 2019.
He said India was constantly putting pressure on the EU policymakers to avoid a debate on the Kashmir issue. However, the Federation has succeeded to raise the issue there time and again, he added.
He said Pakistani embassies and consulates should support the Federation. Also, he said, Pakistani media should play its role in promoting a positive image abroad. According to him, traditional politicians promote Kashmir issue among Pakistani communities during their visits abroad.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021