Daily Times

Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar has stressed upon overseas Pakistanis that national interests should be accorded priority over their political affiliations.

He said that the overseas Pakistanis were the precious asset of the country who had not only enhanced the country’s prestige abroad but also always responded in difficult times. The minister was talking to the Pakistani community members and other notables from different political parties at Pakistan Embassy in Washington DC. Pakistan Ambassador to the US Masood Khan and community leader Sajid Tarar were also present on the occasion, said a press release issued on Saturday. Tarar said that unfortunately, certain elements with vested interests had launched a maligned propaganda abroad about Pakistan and the government to create fissures among the overseas Pakistanis community.

On one hand, he regretted that these elements were instigating the overseas Pakistanis to approach the foreign governments and legislators against their motherland while on the other, overseas Pakistanis were misguided about the missions and immigration process through self-conceived and false stories. The law minister dispelled that the government of Pakistan had neither prepared any list nor any step had been taken in this regard and urged the overseas diaspora to quash such propaganda by approaching their relevant embassies and the national institutions.

“The overseas Pakistanis have been our identity with whom we enjoy everlasting relations. They are the real identity of Pakistan. So it is our collective responsibility to keep country’s esteem high,” the press release in Urdu language quoted the minister as saying. The minister for law further said that the prime minister and the members of his cabinet shared the common sentiments for the overseas Pakistanis and acknowledged their services.

About May 9 vandalism, the minister said that the country’s history was replete with the democratic struggle of two political parties but they always differentiated between the political striving and mischief making. He maintained that no civilized society in the world could tolerate attacks on their martyrs and the national institutions, adding that the law would take its course so that such like incidents should not resurface in future. Tarar further emphasized that those miscreants against whom there were solid evidences would have to face legal and constitutional proceedings. The minister said that it was the right of the overseas Pakistanis to take part in the political process, but cautioned that any hasty steps in this regard could be harmful for the democracy and the democratic process. He apprised that different proposals were being mulled over for giving the overseas the right to vote, adding the consensus among all the political parties in this regard would be helpful in formulating a better strategy.

The minister also informed that continuous efforts were afoot to restore the image of the national flag career PIA, which was damaged during the previous government’s tenure, however, he added that it required some time. A comprehensive legislation was being made to organize the issues of air industry which would be announced soon, he maintained. During his visit, the minister also held different meetings with the members of Congress, officials of the State Department Legal Bureau and US media representatives.