Director, Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has asked the government to guarantee maximum facilities for overseas Pakistanis to encourage remittances and strengthen Pakistan economically. In a statement issued here on Sunday, he termed increase in the remittances from the expatriates Pakistanis a good omen and called for their utilisation in the productive sectors for speedy growth of the economy.
Sarhadi, who is also president of the Frontier Customs Agents Group (FCAG), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said that if the government announces special incentives for expatriate Pakistanis, then the volume of the remittances in next few years could reach to US$ 40 billion.
He further suggested the government to invite expatriate Pakistanis for investment in energy, agriculture, telecommunication, information technology and other sectors.
He further urged the government to remove the hurdles to the promotion of remittances as soon as possible. He said that though a large number of expatriates are keen for investment, but these hurdles are discouraging them. Sarhadi also called for the discouraging of the Hawala system, through which billions of dollars were still illegally transferred. He said that the present economic challenges faced by the country can removed only through increase in the remittances and current account deficit will be decline and foreign reserves will grow, value of the rupee will be stabilised and dependence on foreign debts will be minimised.
He said that expatriate Pakistanis are the precious asset of the country. Therefore, he said the government while acknowledging their services announce all possible facilities and incentives for them.