Senate panel told: Travel to foreign states declining after US/Israel-Iran war

ISLAMABAD: Travelling to foreign countries by Pakistanis declined by over 40 percent after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, and flights to the Middle Eastern countries reduced by over 50 percent.

This was stated by the Director General of Immigration in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Development held under the convenorship of Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro. He informed the committee that a significant decline in the number of overseas workers, particularly in Saudi Arabia, with figures dropping below the 47,000 from 75-80000 workers mark as of March 30. This decline was partially attributed to limited flight availability, currently restricted to only two flights per week.

Regarding grievance redressal, it was reported that out of 6,000 complaints received from overseas Pakistanis, 5,400 have been resolved. The chairman directed the department to share the official service brochures and the outcomes of recent foreign meetings with the Committee in its next meeting.

The committee received a comprehensive briefing on the investment portfolio of the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and the welfare initiatives of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF). The committee also reviewed briefings from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) regarding overseas employment companies. The meeting scrutinised the financial health of EOBI, expressing severe dissatisfaction with the institution’s governance, stagnant reform processes, and a perceived shift in focus from worker welfare to perpetual litigation.

The committee was informed that EOBI’s total investment portfolio stands at PKR 691 billion, with 592 billion (85 percent) invested in T-Bills and Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs), yielding a 13.5 percent return. However, the committee expressed grave concern over PKR 59 billion (8.5 percent) remaining stagnant in real estate projects.

Members questioned the legal authority under which the Board formulates its own rules and committees, specifically highlighting that the Board has remained dissolved since 2016 without being reconstituted.

The panel expressed strong displeasure over the lack of transparency, observing that Board meeting minutes are not published on the official website. It was further noted that no actuarial summary has been moved for the past 10 years, which the committee labelled as a sign of sheer incompetence.

Concerns were also raised regarding dubious investments and repeated losses associated with various portfolios. The chairman directed that a summary be moved within 15 days to apprise the committee of progress, deferring further discussion until the next meeting. The Senate’s body noted with regret that instead of fulfilling its core mandate of ‘Public Welfare’, the management appears consumed by litigation expenses of PKR 170 million. Consequently, a directive was issued for a detailed report on all ongoing legal cases and a briefing on the professional backgrounds of Board members to be presented in the upcoming session.

The meeting was attended by Senators Shahadat Awan, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, Atta-ul-Haq, the Secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, and other senior officials.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026