SHARJAH: Chairman Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Syed Qamar Raza met with members of the Pakistani community at an interactive session held at the Pakistan Social Centre Sharjah.
The event, hosted by Centre President Khalid Hussain Chaudhry, was attended by Pakistan’s Consul General in Dubai, Hussain Muhammad, Community Welfare Attachés Imran Shahid and Junaid Murtaza, as well as representatives from various Pakistani business councils.
Welcoming the chairman, Chaudhry said the session was organised to allow expatriates to directly share concerns and suggestions with OPF leadership.
Community leaders lauded the successful Overseas Pakistanis Convention held earlier this year in Pakistan and appreciated OPF’s ongoing initiatives for expatriate welfare.
Addressing the gathering, Chairman Qamar Raza said overseas Pakistanis remained “very close to the hearts of the country’s leadership”. He highlighted that annual remittances exceeding $38 billion played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s economy and urged expatriates to continue using legal channels.
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He outlined a series of initiatives for the diaspora, announcing that a comprehensive plan was being developed to support the educational needs of Pakistani students in the UAE.
Under directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a 5% quota in educational institutions and 5,000 seats in skills development courses under NAVTTC have been reserved for children of overseas Pakistanis, he said.
Raza also noted the establishment of special courts dedicated to resolving property disputes faced by expatriates.
He further announced that the next Overseas Pakistanis Convention will be held in April 2026 in Pakistan, crediting overseas communities for the success of previous events.
Such interactive sessions, he added, were vital for understanding the challenges faced by expatriates and shaping policies to address them.
