Staff Reporter
Land owned by oversees Pakistanis worth Rs10 billion has been retrieved from illegal occupation in different parts of the Punjab province since the PTI came to power, said Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Irum Bukhari.
“In fact it is a great a achievement of the Punjab government as well as a good omen to realize the oversees Pakistanis that their rights and property are being protected back in home land.”
Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Irum Bukhari expressed the view during a visit the Overseas Pakistan Commission here on Monday. The chairman Overseas Pakistan Commission (OPC) and other officials briefed the ACS about the performance of the OPC and the problems hampering smooth working of the commission. On the occasion, ACS Irum Bukhari stressed the need for resolution of the grievances of oversees Pakistanis to maintain continuity in remittances.
She drew a comparison that In the past four years (2014 to 2018), only 5, 335 complaints of the oversees Pakistanis could be addressed while in the two and a half years of PTI government, 8,116 complaints were resolved. “This figures show the current government’s priorities and the fact that how the government want to facilitate oversees Pakistanis”, she added.
The ACS said that the shortcomings of the system should be rectified for the convenience of Pakistanis living abroad. Irum Bukhari also sought a report on the one-year deferred applications. She also instructed to send to her office a monthly status report of applications. She said that there was no mechanism for the work of dealing officers due to which most of the applications have been delayed. The Dealing Officer will be required to send the application to the District OPC within seventy-two hours.
Strict action will be taken in case of negligence. She directed that steps be taken for the welfare of overseas Pakistanis. Complaints of overseas Pakistanis that are within the reach of the provincial government should be resolved immediately. Overseas Pakistanis should be facilitated to invest and their suggestions should be made part of policy making.
