06-28-2008, 03:28 PM
On the subject Amjad Malik has voiced for voting rights to Overseas Pakistanis (OPs). His main emphasis is that OPs having lived in good governance abroad can well help the country sitting in the Parliament and he cites example of British Parliament where Pakistani origin parliamentarians sit. He examples that when Azad Kashmir was hit by earthquake the Pakistani origin parliamentarians in the British Parliament stood up and made their Government to send more aid to Pakistan. He forgets that those OPs parliamentarians were sitting âin British Parliamentâ but when OPs become members of Pakistani parliament they joining Q-Leagues become only âHis master voiceâ. For the last 15 years how many Pakistanis having their big businesses in USA, Saudi Arabia became MNAs/MPAs, has ever their voice been heard in our Parliament? The example is Ijazul Haq who spent a lot abroad and saw the good governance there. What is his role more particularly in case of Lal Masjid and in the Chief Justice issue, let alone what he did as an Overseas Pakistanis Minister. The latest example is that of Senator Tariq Azeem still sitting. What shameful role he played even as Overseas Pakistani Minister should writers like Amjad Malik be a little realistic and honest.
He says that the OPs in Europe have different problems than those OPs working in Middle East and he emphasizes that there needs to be more concerted attention of the Government for OPs in Europe. A wrong conception for decades is prevailing in minds of our policy makers resulting that they have become host in hands of European Pakistanis. Each successive Government took it that the Pakistanis in Europe were the only OPs and those in middle East are just rubbish. If schemes are announced these are designed to suit requirements and pockets of European Pakistanis eg. E-11 and E12 housing schemes in Islamabad, import of cars and this and that. During his visit to Holy Mecca for Umrah, of course as usual on expense of we the citizens, the then Overseas Pakistanis Minister Sheikh Rashid, many cried on above two housing schemes. Shaikh Rashed is on record saying âOh, leave it, what money you people have, Pakistanis in America have real moneyâ. The very next month the official house journal of same Minister Shaikh Rashed namely Monthly Yaran-e-Watan had a boxed news item quoting Finance Minister that the Government had pledged next three months advance expected salaries/remittances of Ops in Saudi Arabia to get loan. Pakistanis in USA send only what is needed back home. They keep their real big chunk savings with them whereas due to ever increasing taxes/levies while Pakistanis in the middle east though majority is on low salaries but send almost whole to Pakistan and keep their real savings in Banks in Pakistan. Pakistanis in Europe take solemn oath adopting their new nationality that in case their new country of residence ever had a fight with Pakistan, these new locals will fight against their motherland Pakistan. Incase of any problem in Pakistan, these European Pakistanis rush to their European embassies to lodge complaints against Pakistani authorities having no confidence on Pakistani system. The Pakistanis in Middle East do not do this. Pakistanis in Europe are only Pakistanis to the extent of wishing plots, cheap fee admissions in medical colleges, import of duty free vehicles, investment but only where return is quick and re-patriable . Except about 5% of them never think of âpermanentâ return settlement back in Pakistan while Pakistanis in Middle East 90% are always mentally ready to come back.
He further says that OPs should be given due representation in OPF Board and as Members of Council of OPF. On this issue it appears the writer lacks the knowledge. For the last about 10 years there exists an OPF Advisory Council comprising OPs residing in different countries like UK, Saudia Arabia, Kuwait etc. This Council failed as in this Council mostly hand picked people were appointed whom either the community generally did not known or they themselves lacked any social workability. There had only been one practically active such Member Muhammad Usman who represented Bahrain but since he keep on flooding OPs complaints to OPF and had courage to disagree or raise a word contrary to the wishes he was last year as I understand removed. The Council was made only just to show. Its meeting happens once in two three year ever.
Amjad advises that OPs must take part in activities of the OPF. I feel sorry on the low level of knowledge the writer has. Has OPF really any activities? Can the writer please quote even a single real job OPF having ever did for collective interest of OPs. He is not aware that OPF was created in line with our national practice of keep establishing new office over new office only to provide jobs to some. The OPF had done only one work with interest namely housing schemes â mostly dubious schemes and allotments in dubious manners. The Senate Committee a few months back summoned the OPF Managing Director when he admitted irregularities in the OPF. The recently gone caretaker Minister for Overseas Pakistanis in fact gave the very first most realistic remark that OPF is an office officials of which have no work in fact to do. The then Overseas Pakistanis Minister Ijazul Haq officially stated that there were frauds in OPF but he or no government ever disclosed outcome of these frauds â reason well known that official posted there are âdear onesâ as OPF was created only to accommodate these dear ones. A week back a friend was telling a very funny story. A Labourer working abroad addressed OPF about 6-7 years back about a problem. He kept on reminding OPF every six months or so but the OPF never moved. Now when he once again reminded the OPF replied that since under government policy 5 years old record is destroyed, hence send a new complaint which means send a new for us to destroy that after next 5 years to be filed again. Frauds records also got destroy after 5 years or not, I am not aware.
The true facts are no one in the bureaucracy, in OPF or anywhere else has any real interest with the OPs. I would wish writer to read carefully the officially recorded observation of the National Assembly Accounts Committee which a few years back remarked that the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, OPF and the Government had no interest with Overseas Pakistanis whereas the Indian Government had done so and so for its workers. I do remember the day in 1996-98 when I was working abroad when Ijazul Haq was coming there seeking contributions from Pakistanis for âQaraz Utarooâ while the next day Philippines President was coming in that country bringing with him keys of some houses built by his government for its non residents to hand over to its Filipino workings there. The Philippines government remember is poorer than Pakistan but has provided free medical treatment to parents of non resident workers etc.
The writers like Amjad Malik who immediately attach their high hopes on time tested empty words of each visiting Minister or crone abroad, bogus statements of each new head of OPF, should know that any such promise even written like Murree Declaration in fact for these âloud speakersâ is not a âHadithâ but is always just a political statement. Take for example our present beloved dear Overseas Pakistani Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Qaim Ali Shah addressing the Pakistanis on his recent trip to Saudi Arabia while painted the usual rosy picture for welfare of OPs, his government the first practical job did for OPs is increase of tariff on incoming international calls to Pakistan. The calls from abroad to India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines while are at the same rate, rather in Bangladesh case reduced, calls to Pakistan within a night jumped 300% higher. My calling card which used to give me 38 minutes to Pakistan during previous government now with the Zardari government gives me 16 minutes only â thanks to our Governmentâs taxing these incoming calls from Ops to increase its cash inflow to meet ever increasing free Umrah visits.
He says that the OPs in Europe have different problems than those OPs working in Middle East and he emphasizes that there needs to be more concerted attention of the Government for OPs in Europe. A wrong conception for decades is prevailing in minds of our policy makers resulting that they have become host in hands of European Pakistanis. Each successive Government took it that the Pakistanis in Europe were the only OPs and those in middle East are just rubbish. If schemes are announced these are designed to suit requirements and pockets of European Pakistanis eg. E-11 and E12 housing schemes in Islamabad, import of cars and this and that. During his visit to Holy Mecca for Umrah, of course as usual on expense of we the citizens, the then Overseas Pakistanis Minister Sheikh Rashid, many cried on above two housing schemes. Shaikh Rashed is on record saying âOh, leave it, what money you people have, Pakistanis in America have real moneyâ. The very next month the official house journal of same Minister Shaikh Rashed namely Monthly Yaran-e-Watan had a boxed news item quoting Finance Minister that the Government had pledged next three months advance expected salaries/remittances of Ops in Saudi Arabia to get loan. Pakistanis in USA send only what is needed back home. They keep their real big chunk savings with them whereas due to ever increasing taxes/levies while Pakistanis in the middle east though majority is on low salaries but send almost whole to Pakistan and keep their real savings in Banks in Pakistan. Pakistanis in Europe take solemn oath adopting their new nationality that in case their new country of residence ever had a fight with Pakistan, these new locals will fight against their motherland Pakistan. Incase of any problem in Pakistan, these European Pakistanis rush to their European embassies to lodge complaints against Pakistani authorities having no confidence on Pakistani system. The Pakistanis in Middle East do not do this. Pakistanis in Europe are only Pakistanis to the extent of wishing plots, cheap fee admissions in medical colleges, import of duty free vehicles, investment but only where return is quick and re-patriable . Except about 5% of them never think of âpermanentâ return settlement back in Pakistan while Pakistanis in Middle East 90% are always mentally ready to come back.
He further says that OPs should be given due representation in OPF Board and as Members of Council of OPF. On this issue it appears the writer lacks the knowledge. For the last about 10 years there exists an OPF Advisory Council comprising OPs residing in different countries like UK, Saudia Arabia, Kuwait etc. This Council failed as in this Council mostly hand picked people were appointed whom either the community generally did not known or they themselves lacked any social workability. There had only been one practically active such Member Muhammad Usman who represented Bahrain but since he keep on flooding OPs complaints to OPF and had courage to disagree or raise a word contrary to the wishes he was last year as I understand removed. The Council was made only just to show. Its meeting happens once in two three year ever.
Amjad advises that OPs must take part in activities of the OPF. I feel sorry on the low level of knowledge the writer has. Has OPF really any activities? Can the writer please quote even a single real job OPF having ever did for collective interest of OPs. He is not aware that OPF was created in line with our national practice of keep establishing new office over new office only to provide jobs to some. The OPF had done only one work with interest namely housing schemes â mostly dubious schemes and allotments in dubious manners. The Senate Committee a few months back summoned the OPF Managing Director when he admitted irregularities in the OPF. The recently gone caretaker Minister for Overseas Pakistanis in fact gave the very first most realistic remark that OPF is an office officials of which have no work in fact to do. The then Overseas Pakistanis Minister Ijazul Haq officially stated that there were frauds in OPF but he or no government ever disclosed outcome of these frauds â reason well known that official posted there are âdear onesâ as OPF was created only to accommodate these dear ones. A week back a friend was telling a very funny story. A Labourer working abroad addressed OPF about 6-7 years back about a problem. He kept on reminding OPF every six months or so but the OPF never moved. Now when he once again reminded the OPF replied that since under government policy 5 years old record is destroyed, hence send a new complaint which means send a new for us to destroy that after next 5 years to be filed again. Frauds records also got destroy after 5 years or not, I am not aware.
The true facts are no one in the bureaucracy, in OPF or anywhere else has any real interest with the OPs. I would wish writer to read carefully the officially recorded observation of the National Assembly Accounts Committee which a few years back remarked that the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, OPF and the Government had no interest with Overseas Pakistanis whereas the Indian Government had done so and so for its workers. I do remember the day in 1996-98 when I was working abroad when Ijazul Haq was coming there seeking contributions from Pakistanis for âQaraz Utarooâ while the next day Philippines President was coming in that country bringing with him keys of some houses built by his government for its non residents to hand over to its Filipino workings there. The Philippines government remember is poorer than Pakistan but has provided free medical treatment to parents of non resident workers etc.
The writers like Amjad Malik who immediately attach their high hopes on time tested empty words of each visiting Minister or crone abroad, bogus statements of each new head of OPF, should know that any such promise even written like Murree Declaration in fact for these âloud speakersâ is not a âHadithâ but is always just a political statement. Take for example our present beloved dear Overseas Pakistani Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Qaim Ali Shah addressing the Pakistanis on his recent trip to Saudi Arabia while painted the usual rosy picture for welfare of OPs, his government the first practical job did for OPs is increase of tariff on incoming international calls to Pakistan. The calls from abroad to India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines while are at the same rate, rather in Bangladesh case reduced, calls to Pakistan within a night jumped 300% higher. My calling card which used to give me 38 minutes to Pakistan during previous government now with the Zardari government gives me 16 minutes only â thanks to our Governmentâs taxing these incoming calls from Ops to increase its cash inflow to meet ever increasing free Umrah visits.