Overseas Pakistanis call on senior PPP leader Rehman Malik

Islamabad: A delegation of the Pakistan Overseas Community (POC) comprising of Mian Tariq Javed Chairman POC, Fahad Inam Khan, Firdous Nisar, Beenish Shaukat and Abdullah Usman called on Chairman Senator A. Rehman Malik on Thursday and discussed in issues of Overseas Pakistanis.

Senator A. Rehman Malik said that overseas Pakistanis are our asset and they are playing a role of the backbone of our economy by their contribution through remittances and they shall be given their due rights rather discriminated. He said that PPP has always promoted overseas Pakistanis and have raised voice for them.

While addressing a joint press conference along with office barriers of the POC, Senator A. Rehman Malik said that overseas Pakistanis are victimized both at the government level and by the mafia. He said there should be special legislation to protect their due rights and also their properties. He said that he as Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior has received many complaints from Overseas Pakistanis that their properties are being grabbed by land mafia in their absence. He said “overseas Pakistanis are most vulnerable to numerous frauds in Pakistan by the mafia and stringent measures are needed to protect their assets’. He assured, “I will provide all kind of support to overseas Pakistanis and will raise for their rights in Parliament House”. He stressed that Special courts are needed to handle the problems and cases of overseas Pakistani to deliver speedy justice as they cannot stay in Pakistan for long to pursue their cases.

He said that overseas Pakistanis are the most hardworking people who earn abroad and send their earning back to their homeland. He said, “there is no doubt Overseas Pakistanis are our great assets and are our ambassadors and have a lot of heartfelt love and sympathies with their homeland”. He demanded that Overseas Pakistanis should be allowed to have dual citizenship while contesting elections here and their patriotism shall never be doubted adding that they are more patriotic. He said that in Canada, the Prime Minister may be from Pakistan in the next 20 years the way they give rights to their citizens contrary to their origin. He said, “No patriotic Pakistani can betray this country and the patriotism of overseas Pakistanis must not be questioned”.

Senator A. Rehman Malik said that the cabinet has sent a summary that overseas Pakistanis are being given the right to vote adding he demands that they shall not be deprived of dual nationality.

Leadership of POC thanked Senator A. Rehman Malik and said that he has always raised his voice for our rights. Mian Tariq Javed of POC demanded that Overseas Pakistanis shall be allocated special seats in the Parliament of Pakistan, right of vote shall be given to them and the speedy court shall be arranged for them. He said that we should be given the right to contest elections and vote and all political parties should support us on this issue. He demanded that overseas
Pakistanis should be given reserved seats in Parliament House.

Answering a question about the tragic incident of rape on the motorway, Senator A. Rehman Malik said that he has taken suo moto notice on the incident and has sought a detailed report. He said that he has asked 30 questions about the incident and soon the committee will hold a meeting on it. He said that we are making big laws at the behest of the world- FATF but sadly we don’t have a law on rape adding that there should be exemplary punishment in such heinous crimes.

While condemning the brutalities in Kashmir by Indian Forces, he said Modi is the Chief Terrorist who has crossed all limits of humanity. He said that he will always fight for the rights of Kashmiri people. He urged the government to focus on Kashmir issue as Kashmir is under cruel curfew for last one year. He said that he will speak for Kashmir at every forum and will go in International court of justice against Modi brutalities adding if the government does not provide a lawyer, he will arrange. He highly appreciated the role of COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa and said that his efforts to restore peace in the region are remarkable. He warned that it is not 1971, now Pakistan is a nuclear power and Pakistan’s armed forces fully capable of defending the motherland.