ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Friday directed the OP&HRD Ministry to provide complete details of overseas Pakistanis detained in different countries in various cases.
The Senate body meeting, chaired by Senator Hilal ur Rehman, passed the direction unanimously while discussing plight of a Pakistani Zahir Husssain detained after being convicted in a road accident case since 2012, in a foreign country.
The committee also suggested to summon representatives of all relevant departments in next meeting to deliberate on the matter pertaining to overseas Pakistanis languishing in jails of different countries and evolve a comprehensive strategy especially repatriation of those involved in petty crimes.
Apprising the body about current status of Zahir Hussain case, a representative of the Ministry said the matter had already been taken up with Pakistan Mission in Saudi Arabia by the OPF and filed a mercy appeal with the Royal Court through Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh.
The case is being persuaded by the Pakistan Mission and a response is still awaited, he added.
Senator Sassui Palijo took exception to the Ministry for not bringing the complete record regarding the case and said there would be a way out for which coordinated efforts were required.
To this, the OPF Managing Director Dr Amir Sheikh informed the committee that this case was pertaining to a compoundable offence in which a state could not intervene adding that Zahir Hussain was bound to pay 1.3 million Riyals as per compensation.
“It is a hefty sum which cannot be paid through the Community Welfare Fund as we have to facilitate every Pakistani expatriate through this fund equally,” the managing director added.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was recently apprised by foreign ministry about the number of overseas Pakistanis detained abroad, following which directives were issued to ensure their release, especially those involves in petty crimes.
Senator Khalid Shaheen Butt said that there was a need to look into the factual details of the case and asked the Ministry to present the all relevant detail of Zahir Hussain.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on OP&HRD Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari said first and foremost, they had to obey rule of the land adding that it is also a fact that being the custodian of the overseas Pakistanis’ fund, we have to ensure the utilization of fund rationally.
This is not about a single expatriate as we have to own all overseas Pakistanis.
The Special Assistant said that they were in contact with different countries regarding extradition treaties for those detainees convicted in minor crimes.
The Ministry secretary assured the committee for quick redressal of this issue and would keep this issue on priority.
Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi suggested involving local communities and foundations for the release of innocent detainees, giving an example of an identical case in Bahrain that was resolved due to the efforts of a local foundation.
The committee chairman underlined the need for more coordinated and effective mechanism to facilitate the overseas Pakistan which eventually resulted in increased remittances.
The committee was also briefed about degree status of the OPF employees and informed that the Ministry was conducting inquiry against four employees who possessed fake degrees.
The OPF Managing Director said 18 employees were those who had given one month period to provide evidence of process of verification of their degrees, assuring the committee that the process would be completed by next 90 days.
The committee also agreed to table draft of "Companies Profits (Workers' Participation Amendment) Bill, 2018 in the Senate.
The Senate body was also briefed about the establishment of two high schools and one Polytechnic Institute at Zhob district to which the Special Assistant appeared less satisfied and sought time from the committee to go through the feasibility study of those institutions. Among others, the meeting was attended by Senators Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Molvi Faiz Muhammad, Shaheen Khalid Butt, Sassui Palijo and Muhammad Ayub, besides senior officials of the ministry and concerned departments.
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