PM announces welfare package for overseas Pakistanis, including education quotas and job incentives

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif unveiled a comprehensive welfare package for overseas Pakistanis during the first two-day Overseas Pakistanis Convention. 

The event, attended by over 1,200 expatriates from around the world, focused on addressing long-standing legal challenges faced by the diaspora and offered new incentives such as education quotas, job preferences, and skill development opportunities.

During his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz paid tribute to the significant contributions made by overseas Pakistanis, emphasizing that they are “the pride of the nation.” 

He announced that a special court for overseas Pakistanis has been established in Islamabad and will soon be extended to other provinces. Additionally, the government is introducing e-recording and e-filing systems to allow expatriates to provide evidence remotely without the need to travel back to Pakistan. The prime minister further assured that legal amendments would be made to curb fictitious litigation.

In a move to facilitate the next generation, the prime minister introduced education quotas, with 5% of seats in chartered universities, 5% in federal degree-awarding institutions, and 15% in medical colleges now reserved for the children of overseas Pakistanis. He also announced that overseas Pakistanis would be recognized as tax filers by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which would provide relief in banking and business transaction taxes.

For employment, the prime minister confirmed a five-year age relaxation for male overseas job applicants and seven years for females. Moreover, special facilitation offices have been set up in Punjab and Balochistan to assist with various legal and bureaucratic processes, with plans to extend these services to other regions of Pakistan.

The prime minister also acknowledged the financial contributions of overseas Pakistanis, noting that they sent a record $4.1 billion in remittances in March, and estimated that remittances would exceed $38 billion by the end of the fiscal year. He emphasized that the government is working to protect these investments and will act as facilitators for overseas Pakistanis seeking to invest in the country.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also highlighted the government’s commitment to addressing national security concerns, praising the sacrifices made by the armed forces in the fight against terrorism. He condemned social media campaigns targeting the military and reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance on supporting the causes of Kashmir and Gaza.

The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Chairman Syed Qamar Raza noted that the prime minister had positively responded to 14 key demands from the expatriate community, and a high-powered committee has been formed to address these issues. Raza confirmed that the Overseas Convention would be an annual event, further enhancing the relationship between Pakistan and its overseas citizens.