Terms diaspora valuable asset to nation, premier calls for momentum in ongoing projects
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets Chairman Board of Governors OPF Syed Qamar Raza and Managing Director OPF Mohammed Afzaal Bhatti in Islamabad on July 1, 2026. PHOTO: PMO/X
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) to prepare and present a comprehensive roadmap for further improvements to the body’s initiatives.
According to an X post by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM Shehbaz met with the OPF Chairman of the Board of Governors Syed Qamar Raza, as well as OPF Managing Director Afzaal Bhatti.
“Discussions were held on the foundation’s initiatives to address the issues of Pakistanis residing abroad,” the PMO wrote. It added that in his remarks, PM Shehbaz “stated that overseas Pakistanis are a valuable asset of the nation, contributing significantly to foreign exchange remittances by sending their hard-earned earnings back to Pakistan.”
The premier directed the OPF that “further momentum be brought to the ongoing projects and initiatives for the welfare of overseas Pakistanis.”
During the meeting with Raza and Bhatti, PM Shehbaz was briefed on the roadmap for additional measures to promote the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and provide them with facilities, the PMO said.
The OPF officials also paid tribute to the prime minister for Pakistan’s efforts toward global peace while PM Shehbaz expressed satisfaction with the OPF’s initiatives, directing the body to prepare a roadmap.
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Overseas Pakistanis contribute nearly $40 billion annually, helping support household incomes, finance imports, and stabilise external accounts. At a time when exports remain largely stagnant and foreign direct investment fails to gain momentum, remittances provide a reliable source of foreign exchange.
They have repeatedly cushioned the economy during periods of crisis and remain one of the few economic indicators showing sustained growth. In January, it was reported that remittances rose to a record $3.6 billion in December 2025. However, given the conflict in the Middle East, the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics warned in March that the annual inflow of remittances could decline by $3-4 billion.
It also noted that every year, around 700,000 to 800,000 Pakistanis travel to Gulf countries for employment, saying that if the conflict continued, about 500,000 Pakistani expatriates may not be able to go abroad for work in 2026.
