ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel hinted at launching first-ever National Emigration Policy, encompassing promotion of safe, orderly and regular export of manpower to other countries, improved welfare services for expatriates, and engagement of Pakistani diaspora in national uplift.

In a meeting of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, which met here with MNA Sheikh Fayyazuddin in the chair, unanimously approved the policy.

The policy contains action plan and policy response, which were evolved after identifying key challenges in promoting emigration and regulating the welfare process for expatriates, besides engagement of overseas Pakistanis in the development of the country.

The committee was also briefed by officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing about the present status of Sohail Ayaz's case, who had been in incarceration for allegedly abducting and sexually assaulting a number of children in the country.

The FIA told the meeting that a first information report (FIR) had been registered against Sohail Ayaz - a pedophile-cum-international member of dark web, who was facing charges of assaulting 30 children and distribution of child pornography - after thorough investigation.

The FIA officials said that a challan against the accused person would be submitted in the court shortly.

The committee members also underlined the need for increasing number of community welfare attachés in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to ensure swift resolution of issues concerning the expatriates.

Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Division Secretary Muhammad Hashim Popalzai told the committee that the present government had increased the number of community welfare attachés in Saudi Arabia to six from four recently, to provide instant relief to the Pakistani expatriates by resolving their issues in an efficient manner.

He said that other options were also under consideration that included engagement of community members in the GCC countries, who were keen to help the government in redressing the expatriates' issues.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020

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