09-11-2009, 04:39 PM
The learned Dr. Farooq Sattar the Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis has recently told that in order to give representation and a voice to the Overseas Pakistanis (OPs) in the parliament 04 seats would be reserved for them. The question is are the OPs already not in the Parliament and what even the remotest better than the local peoples representatives have till today these already present have shown? In the parliament for the last quite some time always there are quite a number of Pakistanis who are living abroad, doing their business abroad, keeping all their savings abroad, have permanently settled abroad, have obtained foreign nationalities but are one way or the other present in the Assemblies in the name of serving the homeland. Senator Tariq Azeem is a senior OPs what performance he showed or in what shape he proved himself any different that we today want to give separate seats. What the citizens of say Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Sibi, Narowal etc have got through their elected representatives that the OPS would get from theirâs separate ones? The representatives of the OPs are already there for the last 15 years in shape of Members of Overseas Pakistantanis Advsory Committee, Overseas Pakistanis Advisory Council what even a single problem they have solved. These representatives are not seen since years in any public gathering let alone having access to them by ordinary OP. The true fact is the real OPs do not want to have any representation in the Assembly or elsewhere as they know that their main concern is their livelihood and secondly that sitting in assemblies is the game of rich elite politicians not of those âworkingâ abroad. Such schemes are merely to keep killing the time under one slogan or the other. Dr. Farooq Sattar is a truly educated from an educated class. One day raising sketches of such fancy schemes his tenure will finish and when in home one day he would wonder what practically he did different than previous Ministers. Dr. Farooq Sattar if he really wishes to do anything real for OPs, then instead wasting time on politicians and bureaucracy prepared never to see light of the day new schemes, what he can extraordinary do for OPs is that he saves the Overseas Pakistanis 33 years old neglected Mehran Town Housing Scheme Karachi. It is being occupied by a mafia under the three colour political flag of party. The wonderful thing is I raised the issue when the OPF Karachi many months back wrote to the Local City Government which is fortunately dominated by Dr. Farooq Sattar's party. The most interesting is Dr. Farooq Sattar is the Minister of OPF as well as senior party leader of the MQM ruling local Karachi District Government. But the local city Government has not cared to give any response to the OPF which in fact means to its own party leader Dr. Farooq Sattar. His Excellency Dr. Farooq can do a kindness if he can save hundreds of Overseas Pakistanis before they are fully deprived of their rights. Instead of long schemes Dr. Farooq Sattar would leave his name permanently in the hearts and in the history of OPs if he could do a very small job for them. The Government has always claimed OPs were very dear to it but facts speaks contrary to that. Only last week Dr. Farooq Sattar himself stated that Ops should not be treated merely as remittances sending machines. If Dr. Farooq has real interest with OPs then he may getting those OPs who return home permanently after 20-25 years work abroad or after the age of 50-55 declared as pensioners get the right for them to invest in National Savings Pensioners Scheme. After all the Government and in line Dr. Faroq Sattar too claim that welfare of OPs was very prime for them. At least someone show something practical. If such small petty facilities can not be given to OPs, then how OPs can expect anything really big form the rulers or the governments?