First Overseas Pakistanis Convention to be held at Lahore

Lahore: First Overseas Pakistanis Convention will be held at 90-Shahra-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore on Monday 28^th April, 2014. Four hundred delegates from abroad are participating in the convention. These delegates are the community leaders of five million Pakistani expatriates in various overseas countries and represent different business organizations and social societies of overseas Pakistanis. Their selection for participation in the First Overseas Pakistanis Convention to be held at Lahore has been made by the Punjab government regardless of their political affiliation.

This was informed by Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan while addressing a press conference at 90-SQA here today in the capacity of Chairman Cabinet Committee which has been assigned the task to supervise the warm reception for the delegates of the convention.

Provincial Minister for Prisons Abdul Waheed Araeen, Member Punjab Assembly Mian Tariq Mahmood, Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab on Political Affairs Muhammad Afzaal Bhatti and other members of the reception committee were also present.

Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan said, it was a matter of pride for the whole nation that the community leaders of Overseas Pakistanis from all over the world are assembling in Lahore to interact with the present regime which would culminate into better understanding to reach a strategized plan aimed at the welfare of overseas Pakistanis, primarily residents of Punjab.

The deliberations of overseas Pakistanis Convention will prove greatly helpful in addressing the genuine complaints of Pakistani expatriates which fall within the provision of the provincial government. Legislation for establishment of Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commissionerate is also under process which will facilitate the Pakistani expatriates in settling down their issues relating to property disputes, employment hindrances, false criminal cases due to family disputes, financial disputes, travel agents and Airlines related cases, bank related matters, cooperative societies claims and would help them obtain telephonic connection, water connection, electricity and gas connection etc.

All complaints relating to the provincial government departments will be transmitted by the Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commissioner-ate to the concerned departments and would be followed up. Regular progress reports will be submitted to Chief Minister Punjab.

All departments will appoint an officer of the level of Additional Secretary as Focal Person for redressal of complaints relating to Overseas Pakistanis. However, the Police   and Board of Revenue will appoint an officer of the level of Additional Inspector General and a Member of Board of Revenue respectively to deal with the complaints of the Overseas Pakistanis and monitor their progress.

Committees shall be set up at all districts in this regard. These committees will comprise of District Coordination Officer, District Police Officer and the Additional District Collector. Representatives of the concerned departments to be co-opted by the Committee, the Minister added.

On a question, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan informed that an IT based system has been developed by Punjab Information Technology Board to receive online complaints and suggestions of the overseas Pakistani residents of Punjab while the deliberations made by the delegates of First Overseas Pakistanis Convention will be made integral part of the complaints redressal system through a well thought mechanism.