Gultasab
Citizen
Stop Making Overseas Pakistanis Fool
This has been the habit of every government to announce attractive packages and make verbal statements in the favor of Overseas Pakistanis in order to enhance the volume of remittances. Present government, likewise the former governments is following the same route by urging the OPs (Overseas Pakistanis) to support to get rid of the current economic crises. Prime minister Imran Khan made several addresses to OPs asking their help and promised some so called packages those are not disclosed till date.
Even a very close friend of IK is nominated as special assistant to Premier on OPs and he is endeavoring to find a single issue that is being faced by OPs but as usual the government will meet the end of their tenure without taking any comprehensive steps. The purpose of this writing is just to highlight the issues and complications of OPs so that the special assistant can take some concrete measures instead of enjoying the cabinet meetings. OPs have contributed a lot and will keep contributing to the country, they are the backbone of the economy and history shows that whenever we asked for their help during crises, they stood first and nobody could match the level of generosity they have shown.
Embarrassment: Worldwide at large and particularly in the Gulf States the attitude of our diplomatic staff to the OPs is really sick and instigated. Especially the skilled workers are treated like animals. I have learned through my friends that usually they are beaten at the respective consulate without any reason. Unfortunately, we don’t have any specific recruitment policy or merit for the hiring of diplomatic staff, nepotism is the only merit, the one who has any direct or indirect relation to the local MNA/MPA can be hired. The shortage of staff is another issue, for instance, in KSA we have around 2.6m Pakistanis whereas there are only 3 consulates. You have to visit the consulate early morning (After Fajar) and fall in the line in order to renew the passport.
Domestic Embarrassment: Similarly when they arrive to Pakistan, they are welcomed with a horror reception. The emigration staff treat them like they are spy, they are examined thoroughly and if any electronic device is detected e.g., mobile, laptop, etc., in their luggage then either they have to pay the bribe or they have to lose the device that they are carrying for their family members. When they are departing abroad, their luggage is checked at three stages, 1) Scanner, 2) ASF staff (He will open the bag, dig out each and every item, destroy the sequence done by your wife and lastly he will ask, “How much are you earning there?” 3) Pak Army will also search the bag. Some sweet items are not allowed at LHR airport but can be carried at ISB airport. It is a normal routine that you are falling in the line since hours and someone is jumping at the front of row because he has some relation with the airport staff. Ethic and manners do not exist at our airports.
Legal Help: Our consulates abroad are completely helpless to give any kind of support if someone is going through with the legal issues. Non-payment of wages from employer, harassment and small civil offences are the issues that are destroying the carrier of thousands of OPs. Likewise, I have seen many OPs who are suffering with civil offences herein the hometown on their arrival and lost their carrier because they couldn’t return back. There is no proper channel where they can report and register their complain, even the so called OPF (Overseas Pakistanis Foundation) organization is just a showpiece. One can imagine the performance of this institute by visiting their website, it have been days that the website is crashed and nobody is bother to take the notice of failure (www.opf.org.pk). (It’s back again)
Death: If someone is died abroad then the only incentive from OPF is to provide a free ambulance service from airport to the residence carrying the dead-body. After that nobody is taking care at government level of the grief family (Spouse and Children) and they are subject to live a miserable life.
Remittance Collection: Another setback, families of expats are spending hours in the banks in order to collect the remittances. There are no separate overseas counters in the banks and only a single person is dealing with a large number of people. You have to visit the bank three/four times because the remittances are not yet available or the banks are playing to hold the money.
Overseas Pakistanis are not the only asset of country but to their families and relatives. They are not only contributing to the economy but they are helping financially to their families and relatives as well. We are trying our best to find the new sources to strengthen the economy but at the same time we have to take care of our existing assets. My new government shouldn’t follow the same footsteps as the former Prime Minister Gillani who once said, “Why don’t they leave the country, who is stopping them?”
Twitter: Gultasab
This has been the habit of every government to announce attractive packages and make verbal statements in the favor of Overseas Pakistanis in order to enhance the volume of remittances. Present government, likewise the former governments is following the same route by urging the OPs (Overseas Pakistanis) to support to get rid of the current economic crises. Prime minister Imran Khan made several addresses to OPs asking their help and promised some so called packages those are not disclosed till date.
Even a very close friend of IK is nominated as special assistant to Premier on OPs and he is endeavoring to find a single issue that is being faced by OPs but as usual the government will meet the end of their tenure without taking any comprehensive steps. The purpose of this writing is just to highlight the issues and complications of OPs so that the special assistant can take some concrete measures instead of enjoying the cabinet meetings. OPs have contributed a lot and will keep contributing to the country, they are the backbone of the economy and history shows that whenever we asked for their help during crises, they stood first and nobody could match the level of generosity they have shown.
Embarrassment: Worldwide at large and particularly in the Gulf States the attitude of our diplomatic staff to the OPs is really sick and instigated. Especially the skilled workers are treated like animals. I have learned through my friends that usually they are beaten at the respective consulate without any reason. Unfortunately, we don’t have any specific recruitment policy or merit for the hiring of diplomatic staff, nepotism is the only merit, the one who has any direct or indirect relation to the local MNA/MPA can be hired. The shortage of staff is another issue, for instance, in KSA we have around 2.6m Pakistanis whereas there are only 3 consulates. You have to visit the consulate early morning (After Fajar) and fall in the line in order to renew the passport.
Domestic Embarrassment: Similarly when they arrive to Pakistan, they are welcomed with a horror reception. The emigration staff treat them like they are spy, they are examined thoroughly and if any electronic device is detected e.g., mobile, laptop, etc., in their luggage then either they have to pay the bribe or they have to lose the device that they are carrying for their family members. When they are departing abroad, their luggage is checked at three stages, 1) Scanner, 2) ASF staff (He will open the bag, dig out each and every item, destroy the sequence done by your wife and lastly he will ask, “How much are you earning there?” 3) Pak Army will also search the bag. Some sweet items are not allowed at LHR airport but can be carried at ISB airport. It is a normal routine that you are falling in the line since hours and someone is jumping at the front of row because he has some relation with the airport staff. Ethic and manners do not exist at our airports.
Legal Help: Our consulates abroad are completely helpless to give any kind of support if someone is going through with the legal issues. Non-payment of wages from employer, harassment and small civil offences are the issues that are destroying the carrier of thousands of OPs. Likewise, I have seen many OPs who are suffering with civil offences herein the hometown on their arrival and lost their carrier because they couldn’t return back. There is no proper channel where they can report and register their complain, even the so called OPF (Overseas Pakistanis Foundation) organization is just a showpiece. One can imagine the performance of this institute by visiting their website, it have been days that the website is crashed and nobody is bother to take the notice of failure (www.opf.org.pk). (It’s back again)
Death: If someone is died abroad then the only incentive from OPF is to provide a free ambulance service from airport to the residence carrying the dead-body. After that nobody is taking care at government level of the grief family (Spouse and Children) and they are subject to live a miserable life.
Remittance Collection: Another setback, families of expats are spending hours in the banks in order to collect the remittances. There are no separate overseas counters in the banks and only a single person is dealing with a large number of people. You have to visit the bank three/four times because the remittances are not yet available or the banks are playing to hold the money.
Overseas Pakistanis are not the only asset of country but to their families and relatives. They are not only contributing to the economy but they are helping financially to their families and relatives as well. We are trying our best to find the new sources to strengthen the economy but at the same time we have to take care of our existing assets. My new government shouldn’t follow the same footsteps as the former Prime Minister Gillani who once said, “Why don’t they leave the country, who is stopping them?”
Twitter: Gultasab
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