Daily Times

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, while suggesting reserved seats for overseas Pakistanis in the National and Provincial Assemblies, has said that in addition to the right to vote, overseas Pakistanis should also be represented in the assemblies through special seats.

In Azad Kashmir, the number of seats reserved for overseas Pakistanis should be increased. A spokesman for the Governor House told media here Monday that Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar expressed these views in a meeting with Lord Mayor Mohammad Afzal, Councillor from Brimingham Wasim Zafar, Mohammad Idrees, Fahim Kayani, Chaudhry Mahmood, Councilor Zafar Iqbal, Chaudhry Najeeb and overseas Pakistanis.

During the meeting, Lord Mayor of Birmingham Muhammad Afzal entitled Governor Punjab as the representative of overseas Pakistanis. The meeting also discussed various issues including the solution to the problems of overseas Pakistanis and the politics of overseas Pakistanis in the UK.

The Governor said that the PTI government as per its promise, gave overseas Pakistanis the right to vote but ‘I think in addition to giving the right to vote, reserved seats in the National and Provincial Assemblies should be reserved for overseas Pakistanis so that they can be a part of important decisions in the country including legislation, and it will definitely help resolve the problems of overseas Pakistanis in a better way.’

Chaudhry Sarwar said that overseas Pakistanis must participate in the politics of Pakistan but at the same time they must participate in the politics of the countries where they live. There was a time when Pakistanis were doing politics in Europe more actively than Indians but this is not the case today. In order to increase Pakistan’s influence in European countries, it is necessary for Pakistanis to be active in the politics of United States, European countries along with the United Kingdom and apart from local bodies, take part in elections there as well. All Pakistanis must get united and enter into the politics, victory would be their destiny, he added. Appreciating the role of overseas Pakistanis in Pakistan’s economic development, he said, “I have been working for 20 years to resolve the problems of overseas Pakistanis and to strengthen them and the doors of Governor House were open 24 hours for the solution of their problems and the Overseas Commission Punjab was also working day and night to resolve the problems of overseas Pakistanis and they would never be left alone.

Lord Mayor of Birmingham Mohammad Afzal entitled Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar as the representative of overseas Pakistanis and said that the entry and success of Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, the first in the Britain politics had inspired the Pakistanis and today, dozens of Pakistanis were successfully progressing in British central and local government politics. Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, who has always been fighting for the rights of overseas Pakistanis, has also played a significant role in giving the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis.

“We also appreciate the suggestion of Governor Punjab for reserved seats in Pakistan’s National and Provincial Assemblies for Overseas Pakistanis,” he agreed.