Islamabad: Syed Qamar Raza, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), presided over the inaugural meeting of the Welfare Division of OPF. During the meeting, he expressed his unwavering commitment to prioritizing the resolution of expatriate issues. He highlighted the alignment with the Prime Minister’s vision and emphasized that officers of the Welfare Division should intensify their efforts to provide maximum facilities and assistance to Pakistani expatriates both domestically and globally.
Recognizing the invaluable contributions of Overseas Pakistanis to the national economy, Chairman Raza reaffirmed his dedication to exploring all avenues to comprehensively facilitate them. He urged the officers to maintain close coordination with relevant departments and authorities to expedite action on expatriate grievances and keep them informed of progress.
Dr. Amer Sheikh, Managing Director of OPF, briefed Chairman Raza on the current mechanisms in place to address the problems faced by overseas Pakistanis both abroad and at home. The meeting was attended by the Director General of the Welfare & Services Division and other relevant officers.
Chairman OPF reiterated his commitment to making all efforts to assist overseas Pakistanis, particularly those who are vulnerable and in need of immediate help. He directed the sharing of a list of 1,500 pending cases of financial assistance to explore the possibility of grants or assistance from the Government of Pakistan to clear the backlog. He also assured that he would personally expedite the establishment of Special Courts (Overseas Pakistanis Property) Act, 2023, to resolve property issues of Overseas Pakistanis. Additionally, he planned to visit OPF Airport Facilitation Counters to assess the existing setup and identify areas for further improvement.
In conclusion, Chairman Raza emphasized that he is available round the clock to assist Overseas Pakistanis and urged all OPF officers to make every effort to facilitate them.
