Ordinance formed to expand EOBI scope: Zulfi

The government’s point man on overseas Pakistanis on Wednesday informed a Senate panel that the government has prepared an ordinance to increase the scope of Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI).

“Under the proposed ordinance, any working class, including freelance media, will be able to automatically register with the EOBI and submit their contributions,” Zulfiqar Bukhari told the Senate Functional Committee on Less Developed Areas.

The committee, which met under the chairmanship of Senator Usman Kakar, was also told that it would be presented to the cabinet after the approval of the Council of Common Interests.

Zulfi said: “Through the ordinance, we are trying to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from the EOBI so that more and more people can get pension after 60 years of age.”

The upper house panel sought details from the overseas Pakistanis ministry about the workers who lost their jobs abroad because of the coronavirus, the recovery of their arrears and the steps taken for their repatriation.

Overseas Pakistanis ministry officials presented details of the plans to provide housing, education, health and technical education facilities to industrial workers in the four provinces.

The committee chairman asked whether all such projects and facilities were available in the developed areas. “What good will it do to such workers and people in the backward areas,” said Kakar.

He directed that less developed areas should be given priority in the preparation of such kind of projects in the future. The committee also called for formulating new rules and regulations for the distribution of scholarships to the children of employees through the Workers Welfare Fund.

Expressing frustration over the non-attendance of Zulfiqar Bukhari at the beginning of the meeting, the chairman said the special assistant to the premier should be called for the meeting and in case of non-attendance, notice should be sent to him.

However, the SAPM later reached the committee room to attend the meeting.