CM Usman Buzdar approves setting up OPC in south Punjab

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting of the Overseas Pakistanis Commission (OPC) at the CM’s Office on Saturday to review the overall performance of the commission.

The meeting gave approval to establish the OPC in south Punjab.

Buzdar said that setting up of OPC in South Punjab would provide relief to the people of the area. The meeting also decided to open the OPC desks at all e-Khidmat Marakaz in different districts of the province to solve problems of overseas Pakistanis at the grassroots level. The meeting also gave approval for amendments to the OPC Act 2014 while the final approval for the amendments to the Act would be given by the Punjab cabinet.

The CM said that advisory councils should be formed at the earliest as per the rules and regulations. He said the people having good repute should be included in the councils besides appointing members to the districts committees according to the rules and regulations.

He said the matter of giving allowances to the employees of the OPC Punjab should be sent to the Cabinet Committee for Finance and Development.

Moreover, he said that the case of recruitment on the vacant posts in the OPC should be re-submitted.

The CM ordered for speedy disposal of pending cases of overseas Pakistanis.

He said, “The overseas Pakistanis are our asset as their services for strengthening of national economy could not be ignored.”

He asserted that the Punjab government would safeguard the rights of overseas Pakistanis and ensure protection to their properties in Pakistan.

The CM was briefed that the Commission had resolved 12,532 complaints so far while action was being taken on the pending cases.

The advocate general Punjab, additional chief secretary, inspector general of police Punjab, Punjab OPC Vice-Chairman Waseem Akhtar, MPAs Omar Tanveer Butt, Khayal Ahmed Castro and Shahina Karim, Planning and Development chairman and additional chief secretary Home were also present. Senior members of the Board of Revenue attended the meeting via video link.