ISLAMABAD:Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) handed over trade-specific toolkits to 52 returning migrants as an In-Kind support to help them start sustained self-employment.
These migrants have also completed comprehensive business development training from Pakistani-German Facilitation & Reintegration Centre (PGFRC). The activity is part of OPF efforts to support returning migrants to make a new start in Pakistan and achieve a sustainable employment.
Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Pakistani and Human Resource Development, Ishrat Ali said that sudden influx of large numbers of returning migrants poses significant challenges to the country’s ability to absorb the returnees and to adequately provide for all their reintegration needs, ranging from personal to financial needs.
“The previous experience and recent repatriation amidst Covid-19 pandemic has sensitized the government to the need for a comprehensive approach to managing migration that incorporates a sustainable reintegration programme. Ministry of OP&HRD, under the leadership of Prime Minister through OPF is working in a focused manner on this issue, he added.”
Managing Director, OPF Dr. Amer Sheikh, appraised that MoU between German and Pakistani governments is being formalized at very important point in time and is the start of new dawn in the area of support to the Pakistanis returning migrants as a result of the pandemic.
Through this partnership, the Government of Pakistan envisages to not only enhance the capacity of returning migrants but also creating a conducive support/advice system for their re-integration in the society.
Head of PGFRC, Dr. Mansoor Zaib Khan shared that the objective of the programme is to support returning migrants and local population to find better opportunities for better living conditions and sustainable source of income to support themselves and their families. He mentioned that more than 800 returning migrants in the trades of electrician, plumber, carpenter, mason, photographer, and culinary arts will benefit from this capacity building leading to In-Kind support intervention.
He emphasized that PGFRC is open to all Pakistani’s and all our services are free of charge. He also informed the audience that PGFRC provides advice on training and skills development, technical and vocational training, advice on job market trends and opportunities, advice on finding a job in Pakistan, entrepreneurship and start-up support, psychosocial support, and information on the health system in Pakistan, information on living conditions and advice on getting microfinance and loans.
OPF is implementing a program on economic reintegration of returnees in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft fürInternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Pakistan. It is part of the “Returning to New Opportunities” programme which is commissioned by the Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Managing Director OPF, Dr. Amer Sheikh, Members, OPF Board of Governors, senior government officials, representative from Embassy of Federal Republic Germany in Islamabad, representatives of international organizations and civil society representatives also attended the ceremony.
Representative from Germany Embassy highlighted that the importance of reintegration cannot be overstated. The international community has realized this and is assisting reintegration efforts to improve people’s lives. Reintegration is the process of providing returnees with the required capacity-building measures and support for them to live a happy and dignified life in their own country. We are pleased that Government of Germany is supporting a global reintegration program “Returning to New Opportunities”, which is being implemented in 13 countries including Pakistan.
She stressed that Development organizations are actively involved in the reintegration efforts of returnees. They are providing assistance at individual and institutional level; however sustainable development cannot be realized unless the respective government is proactive in its involvement.