ISLAMABAD: The federal government has unveiled a comprehensive set ofincentives and welfare enhancements specifically targeting overseasPakistanis, aiming to recognise their substantial economic contributionswhile addressing long-standing grievances related to consular services,legal protection and family benefits.
Overseas Pakistanis, numbering in the millions across the globe, remittednearly forty billion US dollars in the calendar year 2025, marking a ninepercent increase over the previous year and playing a pivotal role instabilising foreign exchange reserves amid ongoing economic challenges.Officials describe these workers as the unsung backbone of the nationaleconomy, with projections indicating remittances could surpass forty-onebillion dollars in the current fiscal cycle.
The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, incollaboration with the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, formally announcedthe expanded welfare package during a high-profile event attended by seniorcabinet members and representatives from provincial governments. Thepackage includes significant upward revisions in marriage and death grantsprovided through the OPF, designed to offer more meaningful financialsupport during critical family events.
Under the revised scheme, marriage grants have been increased to providegreater assistance to families of overseas workers, while death grants nowoffer higher compensation to help cover repatriation and funeral expenses.These adjustments respond to repeated demands from diaspora communities whoargued that previous amounts had become inadequate given rising livingcosts both abroad and in Pakistan.
A key component of the new measures involves the introduction ofcomprehensive insurance coverage for registered overseas Pakistanis. Thescheme extends protection against accidental death, disability and certainmedical emergencies, with premiums partially subsidised by the governmentto encourage wider enrolment and ensure broader risk coverage forblue-collar and skilled workers employed in high-risk sectors.
To expedite resolution of legal disputes involving overseas Pakistanis,special courts have been notified in the provinces of Sindh, KhyberPakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan. These dedicated benches are taskedwith handling cases related to property disputes, inheritance claims andlabour grievances more swiftly, reducing the prolonged delays that diasporamembers frequently encounter when pursuing matters through regular judicialchannels.
Airport facilitation has also received attention, with upgraded greenchannels now operational at major international gateways includingIslamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. The dedicated lanes aim to shortenimmigration and customs processing times for returning overseas Pakistanis,minimising inconvenience after long flights and demonstrating tangibleappreciation for their contributions.
One of the most anticipated elements of the package is the introduction ofa fifteen percent quota for children of overseas Pakistanis in admissionsto selected public-sector professional colleges and universities. Thereserved seats apply to specific disciplines including medicine,engineering and information technology, offering better educationalopportunities to families who otherwise face intense domestic competition.
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Government sources indicate that the quota will be implemented through atransparent mechanism involving verification of parental employment recordsabroad, ensuring genuine beneficiaries gain access while preventing misuse.Provincial higher education departments have been directed to align theiradmission policies accordingly within the upcoming academic cycle.
The initiatives build upon earlier efforts to digitise consular servicesand expand NADRA registration drives in key expatriate hubs such as theUnited Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Recent mobileregistration camps in London and Dubai have already simplified issuance ofcomputerised national identity cards and passports for overseas applicants.
Analysts view the welfare enhancements as a strategic move to deepenengagement with the diaspora at a time when remittances remain one of thefew consistent sources of external financing. However, some overseascommunity leaders have cautioned that sustained implementation, transparentmonitoring and effective outreach will determine the real impact of thesemeasures.
Officials emphasised that the package forms part of a broader vision totransform overseas Pakistanis from mere remitters into active partners innational development. Additional proposals under consideration includeskill-matching programmes with foreign employers and incentives forinvestment in priority sectors back home.
The government expects these steps to encourage more Pakistanis to registerwith the OPF, thereby improving data accuracy on the diaspora and enablingtargeted policy interventions in the future. With overseas employmenttargets set to rise further in the coming years, the welfare focus islikely to remain a priority area for successive administrations.
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