Govt doing good job for overseas Pakistanis through OPF

OPF provides services in the field of financial assistance, housing, education, health and other fields to Overseas Pakistanis and their dependents.

OPF endeavors to initiate new schemes and projects for the welfare of diaspora.

OPF is an autonomous body working under the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development, Government of Pakistan; for the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and their families. It has been established under the provisions of Emigration Ordinance, 1979 and is registered as a Guarantee Limited Company under Section 42 of Companies Act, 2017. The main objective of OPF is social welfare of emigrants and their families in Pakistan and abroad. In line with its mandate, OPF is providing services in the field of financial assistance, housing, education, health, and other services for the benefits of Overseas Pakistanis.

OPF has initiated 11 housing schemes, out of which 07 have been successfully completed. Rs2.18 Billion have been disbursed among 11334 beneficiaries under death and disability financial assistance scheme, 2620 dead bodies have been transported from Airport to destinations, Rs3.79 Billion disbursed to 9746 cases under Death Compensation Scheme from Foreign Employers, 13658 complaints of Overseas Pakistanis were resolved, 240541 patients were treated during Free Eye Camps service and relief activities were made during the repatriation of Overseas Pakistanis from Kuwait, Libya, Yemen and KSA crisis.

Moreover, OPF is running 22 schools and two colleges all over Pakistan and in AJK, where children of OPs are given 50% discount in fees. Rs31.436 Million awarded in lieu of Scholarships to OPS children, an amount of Rs5.536 Million has also been distributed among 86 students under Overseas Pakistanis Education Fund Scheme, 530 Seats for OPs children have also been reserved in various institutions of Pakistan and E-Learning Programme has also been started in 11 OPF Educational Institutions. Two eye hospitals in Dera Ghazi Khan and Mirpur, AJK are being run by the Company. Furthermore, OPF has always actively played its role in disaster situations in Pakistan & AJK, whenever need arose.

Posting the right man for the right job helps. The current MD, OPF, Dr. Amer Sheikh knows the subject as he has worked for four years in the Ministry dealing overseas Pakistanis, then as Community Welfare Attaché (CWA) plus he was heading Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) before his posting as Managing Director, OPF. Earlier, he had turned Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) from a loss making entity to a profit earning organization in just one year.

In line with the vision of Prime minister of Pakistan, Special Assistant to PM on Overseas Pakistanis & HRD Sayed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari has taken various initiatives to enhance the welfare and living standards of overseas Pakistanis and their families in Pakistan. The major initiatives includes, launching of Naya Pakistan Calling Web portal to utilize the expertise of OPs in strategic decision making in public sector organizations, Launching and development of OPF Farm Housing Scheme (OPF Greens) at Raiwind Road, Lahore, E-Learning Initiative (Online Lectures) at OPF Educational Institutions and Establishment of Facilitation and Reintegration Centre for returnee migrant workers.