‘Overseas Pakistanis to benefit from PRI scheme’: Sattar

[Naveed Yaseen]

ISLAMABAD: The government has launched Pakistan Remittance Initiatives (PRI) scheme in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, State Bank and Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, to facilitate millions of Overseas Pakistanis. Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr Farooq Sattar, who is currently on an official visit to Canada, urged the overseas Pakistanis to avail the PRI facility to send their remittances to Pakistan. He made these remarks while addressing a gathering of overseas Pakistanis business community in Toronto, says a message received here on Tuesday. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis is working on various projects for the welfare of our overseas Pakistanis brethren, said the minister, adding, “In order to provide quality education to the children of the overseas Pakistanis, new OPF schools are being established in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.” Moreover, plots would be allotted to the overseas Pakistanis, very soon, in the OPF housing schemes in Mirpur and Lahore. “In order to benefit from the experience and expertise of overseas Pakistanis for the development of the country, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis has prepared a bill for the reservation of seats for the overseas Pakistanis in the national assembly as well as four provincial assemblies,” he added. So that Overseas Pakistanis may also play their constructive role in the development of the country and welfare of their countrymen. One seat of the National Assembly, out of the four proposed seats, would be reserved for the overseas Pakistanis of North America, the minister added. Dr Sattar said that over $800 million remittances were received in the month of August as well as in September under PRI scheme. “Last year the remittances stood at $7.8 billion and will be increased till $12 billion in next year,” he said. app

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