By. IRFAN SIDDIQUI
TOKYO/ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, has said that overseas Pakistanis are among the country’s most valuable assets and that the government is taking serious measures to address their long standing concerns. He assured that issues relating to the import of used vehicles and other facilities for expatriates would be resolved on a priority basis, with positive developments expected in the near future.
The minister made these remarks during a meeting with a delegation of overseas Pakistanis and the leadership of the Pakistan Car Dealers and Importers Association (APDA), led by its chairman, Mian Shoaib Ahmad.
During the meeting, the APDA chairman highlighted the difficulties faced by overseas Pakistanis in importing used vehicles for personal use. He urged the government to abolish the one year non transfer condition imposed on imported vehicles, arguing that the restriction creates unnecessary hardships for expatriates who wish to bring vehicles to Pakistan under personal import schemes.
He further called for the removal of the existing limitation that allows the import of only three year old vehicles. According to him, commercial importers are permitted to import vehicles of any model year under the Pre Shipment Inspection (PSI) regime, making it unfair to impose stricter rules on overseas Pakistanis.
Another key demand raised during the meeting was the relaxation of the Transfer of Residence Scheme. APDA proposed that overseas Pakistanis should not be restricted to importing vehicles only from their country of residence and should instead be allowed to purchase and import right hand drive vehicles from any eligible country.
Mian Shoaib Ahmad emphasized that overseas Pakistanis are the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, contributing billions of dollars annually through remittances while also paying substantial import duties and taxes. He said the community deserves greater incentives and facilities in recognition of its economic contributions.
Taking notice of the concerns raised, Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain assured the delegation that the issues would be taken up at the highest government forums. He pledged that practical steps would be initiated soon to provide relief to overseas Pakistanis and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to facilitating the Pakistani diaspora and strengthening its ties with the homeland.
