'Special package' for overseas Pakistanis on the cards: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan says his government is going to announce a special package of incentives for overseas Pakistanis to encourage them to send remittances through banking channels.

PM Khan, in his tweet, said the government would remove all hindrances & procedural issues faced by overseas nationals. Philippines applied the same model successfully, like the one PTI government was going to implement in Pakistan.

He further said: “InshaAllah by removing these hindrances we will be able to increase remittance flows from $20 bn to at least $30bn & perhaps even $40 bn through banking channels.”

Khan added that the government was also moving to remove hassles overseas Pakistanis confront at immigration when they come to Pakistan. “Our Missions abroad have also been directed to look after and deal effectively with the concerns of our Overseas Pakistanis,” he stated.

Reassuring his support to country nationals living abroad, he underlined: “Our govt is also going to ensure protection for the Overseas Pakistanis’ properties and land especially from land mafias.”

During his visit to Saudi Arabia on Sep 19, PM Khan had assured that the government would take all necessary steps to address the problems of overseas Pakistanis.

He said a special desk would be set up to facilitate overseas Pakistanis, while the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis was also being made functional.

Khan had also made a passionate appeal to overseas Pakistanis on Sep 7 to contribute to dam fund and urged them to donate $1000 each for construction of much-needed Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand dams.