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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the immediate restoration of the Green Channel on Tuesday, allowing free transit without customs formalities at airports to facilitate overseas Pakistanis. Emphasizing his deep appreciation for those contributing to Pakistan from abroad, he highlighted this initiative as a step toward easing their travel experience.
His government would address the issues of the expatriates to the best of its ability, he said at a ceremony hosted by the Overseas Pakistanis Global Foundation (OPGF).
According to Sharif, remittances have increased by 30 percent because of the steadfast dedication of Pakistanis living abroad, and he underlined that these people are gaining praise for their hard work.
He said that well-known expats would be given official blue passports and declared ambassadors at large.
According to Zahir Akhtar, head of the OPGF, Pakistani expats have pledged their undivided support for the government and the military in their efforts to make Pakistan a safe, progressive, and prosperous country.
He assured the nation’s security that overseas Pakistanis are fully supporting the military forces. Notably, the prime minister’s assurance follows a warning from Imran Khan, the country’s ex-prime minister who is now in prison.
According to Khan, the economic stability of the Sharif government could be seriously jeopardized if overseas Pakistanis stopped sending money back to their home country to protest what he saw as human rights breaches.
Prime Minister Sharif highlighted the specialized department set up in Punjab to deal with the concerns of Pakistanis living abroad, continuing his administration’s efforts to alleviate difficulties experienced by those living in the diaspora. This department has successfully recovered properties taken by land grabbers, especially those belonging to Pakistanis living abroad. This effort has been a guiding light for the diaspora under the leadership of Maryam Nawaz, the chief minister of Punjab, he noted.
Overseas Pakistanis created a song to honor the armed services for keeping the country safe. The song was performed by the famous singer Rafaqat Ali.
Additionally, overseas Pakistanis expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister for inviting them to the Prime Minister’s House.
