CM vows to facilitate expatriates

Laments withdrawal of right to vote by federal govt

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday discussed matters relating to solving the problems of overseas Pakistanis with the Co-Chairperson of All Parties Parliamentary Group of Great Britain about Pakistan, Yasmeen Qureshi.

Promotion of relations between Pakistan and Great Britain also came under discussion during the chief minister’s meeting with the visiting Members of the UK House of Commons.

The British lawmaker said on the occasion that overseas Pakistanis lauded the welfare projects initiated by the CM.

The chief minister said the right to vote had been granted to the overseas Pakistanis during the rule of PTI chairman Imran Khan but the incumbent federal government had deprived them of the right.

He said the Pakistanis living abroad would not trust any party aligned with the federal government.

He also said that a comprehensive policy would be introduced to solve the problems of overseas Pakistanis.

Meanwhile, Punjab Minister for Narcotics Control and Excise and Taxation Sardar Muhammad Asif Nakai also called on the chief minister along with Member of National Assembly Talib Nakai to apprise him of the performance of the department and progress on the Narcotics Substances Act 2022.

The chief minister said he had resolved to purge the society of narcotics and there was a dire need for stringent measures in this regard in the educational institutions.

He warned that the owners of the educational institutions and staff members would be held responsible over drug peddling and use of narcotics among students.

Those found involved in drug peddling in the educational institutions would not be able to evade punishment, the chief minister vowed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2022.