Pakistan Economy can crash if the Overseas Pakistani stoped sending remittances  : Overseas Community

By: A - Haq

London: Most of the Pakistani institutions believe if the Overseas Pakistanis stop sending money to Pakistan, the Pakistan economy would crash. 30 Million is the government figure that is received as remittances from abroad. Overseas Pakistanis also send money through other channels. That money also feeds the Pak economy. It is the backbone of the economy.

Chairman Mushtaq Lashari was expressing his concern in a community meeting over the delaying tactics of the government to exercise the right to vote. He said, Overseas are as loyal Pakistanis as any other. Their monetary help has saved Pakistan in many crises. Overseas Pakistanis be given the right to vote as per the verdict of CJ.

Now the issue is how Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry gave the verdict on it. Election is fast approaching; countdown has begun. Pakistanis in 98 countries are waiting for their right to vote, me waiting for it. The real need is to have our representative, representative of the Overseas in the Pakistan national assembly, but would it be possible to have just right to vote.

Our calls bear extra charges; where goes that money. The Prime Minister on his visit to UK assured that those charges have been removed; 6 month ago The Minister for Overseas Affairs repeated the same thing but to no avail. The problem still remains unresolved.

Chairman Third World Solidarity Mushtaq Lashari expressing his views congratulated Fiaz Ghafoor and ARY on receiving an important ward. Secondly he pointed towards Councillor Ms Sitara and Mr. The Mayer and reminded of the British Rule in UK and Pakistanis having political offices. He further said ,’if you want to be candidate for a councillor you just need to have one year work experience there, and if you want to have party Ticket you need to be member of the party just for 6 month and he raised the question is there any such law in Pakistan which can allow us, we Overseas to be candidate at least on behalf of the Overseas Pakistanis. He reiterated his comment on the presence of a variety of categories of Overseas Pakistanis. One those who have only one Passport, secondly those who have dual nationality and thirdly who stay in any other country to seek nationality where they live. No country binds a citizen not to participate in elections. He hoped that in one and a half year these restrictions will be uplifted.

President Chambers of Commerce UK Razi Khan He had called upon a Press conference in this regard, supported be his Directors to call the leaders of various parties and ask who will solve their problems. And after election just see who fulfils his promises. If dual citizenship is so bad we should stop receiving Politicians who think we are aliens. We must not think of ourselves as Pro PML or Pro PPP. We are united as Pakistanis and we shall not let ourselves treated like tissue papers to be thrown into the waste basket of neglect.

Chairman UK Pakistan Friendship Dr. Ashraf Chohan reminded the audience that they were a community of 1 Million. We should stop hosting Pakistani Politicians who neglect us. We should not greet them if they don’t respect our demands and problems. Solution to our problems lies in unity. It is this overseas community which supports Pakistan in every crisis.

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