ISLAMABAD:President Dr Arif Alvi Monday advised the overseas Pakistanis to utilize their skill sets for bringing improvement in the lives of Pakistanis.
Addressing the participants of Overseas Pakistanis Conference here, he said the expatriate Pakistanis could help transform the Pakistani society by delivering knowledge to the people in backward areas and villages.
The overseas Pakistanis should help in improving schools and other facilities in their areas and launch welfare projects, he further added.
He said the overseas Pakistanis had great love for Pakistan in their hearts and they always wanted to contribute to their motherland. Their investments were helping the national economy grow, he added.
He said the expatriate Pakistanis were concerned for their country. They wanted to transmit cultural values of Pakistan to their next generation and wanted to remain in touch with their country.
The President told about the efforts made by him and Prime Minister Imran Khan to secure right to vote for the overseas Pakistanis. He pushed for the right of vote for the overseas Pakistanis in the National Assembly and NA’s committee for electoral reforms.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) overcame different hurdles and successfully arranged for electronic voting rights for the overseas Pakistanis, he explained.
In the last elections internet voting was conducted and the overseas Pakistanis cast their ballot, he added.
The president negated the impression that hacking could be done in electronic voting. If capital transfer of $ 5 trillion could be done safely through electronic means then electronic voting could also be done safely, he remarked.
Eight million Pakistanis residing abroad, he said, would be able to cast their vote in the election through electronic voting in a span of three to four days.
President Alvi underlined the need to bridge the gap between users of technology and decision makers.
He said Pakistan suffered price hikes due to imported inflation of commodities in the international markets.
He said the vision of the PTI government was to create an Islamic welfare state on the model of Riyasat-e-Madina.
The government initiated the Ehsaas programme to give financial assistance to the vulnerable sections of society, he added.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan made it clear to the world that Pakistan was a sovereign and dignified country, and was pursuing an independent foreign policy.
He appreciated the overseas Pakistanis for contributing funds to the PTI in the past.
The Pakistani diaspora was influential and could lobby to protect the interests of their country in the realm of international relations, he stressed.
They could influence politics in important countries like the United States and the European Union, he added.
He said the Pakistanis living abroad should improve the image of Pakistan and also sensitize about the inhuman treatment meted out to the Muslims and other minorities in India.
He said the expatriates could get their issues resolved by approaching the Federal Ombudsman which dealt with complaints against the federal departments.
The ombudsman decided the complaints in 60 days and every year tens of thousands of complaints against departments were settled, he added.
President Alvi also informed about the government’s efforts to ensure ease of doing business in the country.