Buzdar approves draft act of OPC

Says district-level committees should be formed to facilitate expats

LAHORE:  

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar approved a draft act of the Overseas Pakistanis Commission (OPC) Punjab. He directed the commission to present final recommendations after consultation with line departments.

Presiding over the maiden board meeting of the OPC on Wednesday, Buzdar directed officials to dispose all pending cases on a priority basis. It was also decided in the meeting that district-level committees of OPC would be formed. He directed the chief minister to complete the nomination of members at the earliest.

The meeting also gave approval of the constitution of the advisory council. Buzdar directed the authorities concerned to constitute a committee for the nomination of advisory council members. He said matter pertaining to giving allowance to the OPC staff should be sent to the cabinet committee for finance and development.

“The expatriate Pakistanis are our precious asset. Their role in strengthening the national economy cannot be ignored and the government will extend every possible facility to them,” the CM said. “The hard-earned money of the expatriates benefits their families as well as the country and the Punjab government will ensure the protection of their legal rights and properties.” The chief minister said expat Pakistanis act as an ambassador of the country abroad and solving their problems was a priority of the government.

OPC Commissioner Usman Anwar briefed about the departmental performance. He pointed out that 77 cases of expatriates have been resolved during the tenure of the incumbent government and properties worth Rs340 million have been retrieved.

Meanwhile, the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB) Chairperson Sara Ahmad called on the chief minister and apprised him of the performance of the bureau.

Speaking on the occasion, Buzdar said efforts made by the bureau for children were praiseworthy. “The Punjab government will provide complete support to it and it is a misfortune that such children are forced to beg. The child beggars will be handed over to the CPWB during the campaign against beggary,” he announced. “Such children will be fully taken care of and education and training will be provided to them to make them useful citizens of the society.”

The chief minister directed the chairperson to visit different districts to run an awareness campaign about the steps taken for the welfare of the children. “Adoption of different steps for securing the bright future of the deprived children is a priority agenda of the Punjab government and all resources are being utilised in this regard.

He said the CPWB would be made an effective institution for providing a better future to the abandoned children. “The PTI government is striving for the betterment and growth of abandoned children through education and training and the bureau is working excellently under Sara Ahmad,” he remarked.

Sara Ahmad said every effort would be made to make the CPWB as the best institution and she would work with commitment and zeal to fulfill the responsibility of rehabilitation of abandoned children.