Mardan   -  Chairman of the Overseas Pakistani Association in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, Naeem Shamsher, has called upon the Prime Minister and Federal Minister for Finance to provide enhanced facilities to overseas Pakistanis in the forthcoming budget. He believes that by doing so, the budget deficit can be reduced.

During a media interaction, Mr Shamsher emphasized the need for the government to establish a medical college, an engineering university, and universities offering other subjects in Islamabad and across all provinces, catering specifically to the children of overseas Pakistanis.

Shamsher argued that the government should either abolish the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) and the Educational Testing & Evaluation Agency (ETEA) test or align them with the syllabus of overseas Pakistani students. He further highlighted that the establishment of medical colleges and engineering universities for overseas Pakistanis would encourage their children to study in these institutions, resulting in funds flowing into the country instead of leaving it, thereby reducing the budget deficit. Additionally, he called for simplified passport and overseas card application procedures.

“Whenever an overseas Pakistani sends money to the country from abroad, they should earn points that can be redeemed for free shopping facilities,” Shamsher proposed. He argued that equal treatment should be provided to overseas Pakistanis at airports and that they should be allowed to bring mobile phones, laptops, and iPads duty-free. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of facilitating overseas Pakistanis in finding employment opportunities.