ISLAMABAD: Overseas Pakistanis have emerged as a frontline force and a valuable national asset, playing a vital role in Pakistan’s development and standing firmly with the state and its institutions, OPF Chairman Syed Qamar Raza said while speaking to the media in Islamabad.
He credited Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir’s direct outreach to the diaspora for removing longstanding grievances, foiling hostile plots and strengthening their trust in Pakistan’s institutions. “Overseas Pakistanis now fully understand that the country’s stability and the dignity of its citizens abroad depend on strong state institutions and the armed forces,” he said.
Qamar Raza announced that special courts to handle property disputes of overseas Pakistanis will start work within a month, eliminating the need to travel to Pakistan for hearings. He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s 18-point task force, led by Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain, is actively addressing overseas Pakistanis’ issues, and that he is also a member of the task force.
He said hostile elements had used a political party’s name to launch social media attacks on the state but these attempts were crushed under the leadership of Field Marshal Munir. “Every Pakistani has a right to political differences,” he noted, “but no one has the right to go against the state.” He urged Pakistanis at home and abroad to remain vigilant and avoid becoming tools of anti-state agendas.
Qamar Raza added that the OPF will soon visit the Middle East to meet overseas Pakistanis there and devise strategies to resolve their problems. He reiterated that the government’s ongoing initiatives mark a major shift in protecting overseas Pakistanis’ rights and strengthening their bond with the country.
