ECC reviews overall progress made by Task Force for welfare of overseas Pakistanis

March 18, 2020: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr.Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet here at the Cabinet Division.

The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development presented a report of the Task Force on Overseas Employment and Welfare of Overseas Pakistanis.

ECC in its earlier decision of 19th Feb 2019 had constituted an inter-ministerial task force under the chairmanship of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development to look into the issues of overseas employment for Pakistani manpower and make recommendations in consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human resource development, Mr. Zulfi Bukhari gave a presentation on various important issues and the measures taken regarding:

• Identification of trades and skill sets in demand in order to meet the requirements of international job market 
• Development of a centralized TVET certification and verification system and improving regulatory mechanism for curbing sub-standard certifications and helping provincial TEVTAs in developing their skill development capacities
• Developing mechanism for sharing data among NAVTTC and BE&OE/OEC on employment opportunities and available skills
• Efficient provision of E-Passport, NICOP, POC to overseas Pakistanis
• Issues of overseas Pakistani Schools
• Developing a National Emigration and Welfare Policy for Overseas Pakistanis

The Chair appreciated different measures taken by the Committee and further directed the Committee to come to the ECC forum, a month after the budget, and brief on the overall progress made on the measures taken by the Committee for the welfare of overseas Pakistanis.

ECC also approved a Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs.4152 million for FBR from Pakistan Raises Revenue Program to meet the mandatory and inevitable expenditures for the achievement of DLIs and supplement budgetary resources for expenditures in this regard. ECC also directed Chairperson FBR to give a detailed briefing on the initiative to the ECC in the next meeting.

On the request from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs for the recovery of outstanding wharfage of Rs. 1.696 billion on import of LNG by PSO, ECC directed that the outstanding amount will be paid in 10 equal installments without interest over a period of next ten years.

However, in Jan 2023, a committee will review the circumstances and suggest any possibility for early repayment of the remaining sum. The decision was taken on the recommendations of the committee constituted under the chairmanship of Minister for Economic Affairs.

ECC approved the Technical supplementary Grant of Rs. 44.447 million for Islamabad Capital territory to execute “National Program for improvement of Watercourses phase ii in ICT, Productivity Enhancement of wheat, Prime Minister’s Initiative for save the calf, calf feedlot fattening in Pakistan and development of backyard poultry in ICT”. Ministry of National Food security and research had surrendered the amount in favor of ICT Administration.

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