Travellers must carry ‘corona free certificate’: NA panel

Overseas ministry informs body National Emigrants Policy finalised, will be presented before cabinet in next meeting

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of the fast-spreading coronavirus, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has recommended making if mandatory for travellers to carry a “corona free certificate”.

“Just like it is essential for Pakistanis to carry a polio certificate while travelling to other countries, it should be made compulsory for foreigners to have a corona free certificate while coming to Pakistan,” Standing Committee member Javed Shah said.

The meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of Sheikh Fayyazuddin.

Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), including Fazal Muhammad Khan, Dr Haider Ali Khan, Sajid Khan, Haji Imtiaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Attaullah, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Sobia Kamal Khan, Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Zulfiqar Ali Khan Dullah, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, Shahid Ahmed, Muhammad Jamalud Din, and senior officers from the overseas ministry were in attendance.

“The government of China is providing all-out facilities to Pakistani students studying there, and those residing in Wuhan where the coronavirus broke out,” an official of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination told the committee.

Pakistan fears coronavirus outbreak if precautionary measures not put in place

The meeting was informed that the government is all set to launch the first-ever national emigration policy for devising comprehensive strategies to regulate welfare processes of intending emigrants and protecting the rights of their families.

"The draft of National Emigrants Policy has been finalised after holding an extensive consultation with national and international experts," a senior officer of the overseas ministry told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis.

The policy would be presented before the federal cabinet in its next meeting for final approval, he told the NA panel.

The officer said the policy would ensure protection of life and property of expatriates hailing from all the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The committee lauded the efforts of the overseas ministry for resolving the problems of overseas Pakistanis efficiently.

The overseas ministry officer apprised the committee that the country had recently signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with Japan for exporting skilled workforce.

He also hinted at signing of a similar Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia. “Some 87,000 Pakistani workers habe been sent to Qatar under the 100,000 quota which was announced in 2015,” he added.

A four-member sub-committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto to dig out the reasons behind detentions of overseas Pakistanis in different countries, and formulate recommendations for their release from foreign jails.

The sub-panel comprises members of the National Assembly (MNAs), including Javed Hasnain, Noorul Hassan Tanvir and Aurangzeb Khan Khichi.