Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting of Overseas Pakistanis Commission Punjab, here on Tuesday in which performance of the commission was reviewed. Commissioner Overseas Pakistanis Commission Punjab Afzaal Bhatti gave a detailed briefing. While addressing the meeting, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistanis living abroad are ambassadors of the country and their problems will be resolved on priority basis.
He said that no one will be allowed to grab properties, houses or land of overseas Pakistanis. He said that the money of the Pakistanis living abroad will be protected at any cost. He directed that Overseas Pakistanis Commission Punjab should acquire the services of lawyers at the earliest for pursuing the cases. The CM issued instructions for setting up a committee for making affairs of the housing societies transparent and said that this committee should review all matters regarding housing societies.
The meeting also decided to fix quota of the children of overseas Pakistanis in educational institutions on merit and the CM directed that a comprehensive framework should be evolved and presented in the next meeting. He said that the complaints and problems of overseas Pakistanis should be solved immediately and there should not be any delay in this regard.
He said that the commission should resolve the problems of Pakistanis living abroad in an active manner. He said that people have many hopes from the commission and it should come up to the expectations of the masses. He said that the commission should work hard for redressing grievances of the people.
The CM directed that all institutions should extend complete co-operation to Overseas Pakistani Commission Punjab. The meeting also decided to allocate a separate block for overseas Pakistanis in government housing schemes. Shahbaz directed that Punjab Investment Board should play an active role for motivating overseas Pakistanis towards investment. Commissioner Overseas Pakistani Commission Punjab Afzaal Bhatti while giving a briefing about the performance of the commission said that out of 650 complaints of overseas Pakistanis 357 have been resolved. He said that Azad Jammu and Kashmir Overseas Cell had been set up while a helpline is also fully active. Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Inspector General Police, concerned secretaries, DCO Lahore, Commissioner Overseas Pakistani Commission Punjab Afzaal Bhatti and other members of the commission attended the meeting.