Facilitation: SC forms body to address expats’ issues

Complaints of expatriate, through post, e-mail, fax, other means of communication will be processed within 24 hours.

ISLAMABAD:

A separate wing has been established in the Supreme Court to address grievances and legal matters of overseas Pakistanis.

The wing has been set up in the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court on the directive of Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, said a press release on Friday.

The chief justice has taken note of the fact that expatriate Pakistanis face a number of issues ranging from right to vote to being defrauded by land grabbers and even by their own relatives and others in property matters and they cannot properly pursue their legal matters while living abroad, it said.

The wing will receive complaints of the expatriate through post, e-mail, fax and other means of communication and they would be processed within 24 hours.



Every application will be placed before the chief justice for orders/directions. The wing headed by a director shall be supervised by director-general, Human Rights Cell and looked after by chief Justice, himself.

The wing shall also entertain the applications pertaining to difficulties being faced by Pakistanis on visiting their country. Grievances of the applicant expatriates will be redressed by giving appropriate directions to departments concerned and calling the follow up reports. Directions would also be given for required policy and even legislation.

Circulars have been sent to the Pakistani high commissions and embassies abroad through Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for expats’ awareness.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2014.