Islamabad/Tokyo: In a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening the welfare and representation of the Pakistani community in Japan, the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) has constituted a 35-member Advisory Council for the Welfare of Overseas Pakistanis in Japan.
The notification has been issued by Chairman Board of Governors, OPF, Syed Qamar Raza Shah, on the recommendation of Mr. Asad Nawaz Khan, Advisor to the Chairman, BoG, OPF for Japan. The council will serve on a purely honorary and pro bono basis and will advise OPF on matters concerning the welfare, protection and development of Pakistanis living and working across Japan.
According to the notification, the newly constituted council comprises some of the most respected and influential members of the Pakistani community in Japan, including Sikander Ali Passia, Ijaz Khan, Bilal Bhinder, Mudaser Akbar, Muhammad Ansar, Mehr Mohammad Akram, Malik Afzal, Ramzan Siddiq, Tariq Butt, Syed Shahid Ali, Arshad Mehmood Awan, Ashfaq Hussain, Muhammad Mumtaz Khan, Ashraf Chahel, Baghdad Shah, Fawad Ahmed Mushtaq, Malik Amanat Ali Awan, Zahoor Ahmad, Syed Saleem Hassen Shah, Summy Mohammad Gul, Ovais Insari, Nawab Ali Behlum, Mehar Azeem, Abdul Razzaq Khan, Shahryar Sandhu, Atif Butt, Khurram Tehseen, Muhammad Mateen Sarwar, Usman Butt, Malik Imtiaz, Attique Khan, Malik Saleem, Humayun Moghal, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal and Khizer Iqbal, representing various prefectures including Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, Gunma, Toyama, Shizuoka, Fukuoka and Fukushima.
The notification further states that the council will work in close coordination with Asad Nawaz Khan and will focus on identifying employment opportunities for Pakistanis in Japan, promoting business and investment linkages between Pakistan and Japan, addressing community issues and increasing remittance inflows to Pakistan in order to contribute to the country’s economic development.
The formation of the advisory council has been warmly welcomed by the Pakistani community in Japan, which considers it an important institutional step toward greater engagement between overseas Pakistanis and national institutions.
Community leaders have particularly appreciated Syed Qamar Raza Shah for his visionary leadership and his commitment to making OPF a dynamic and responsive organization that genuinely addresses the concerns of overseas Pakistanis. They said the chairman’s decision to establish a representative advisory body demonstrates his determination to ensure that the voices of overseas Pakistanis are heard and incorporated into policymaking.
Similarly, Asad Nawaz Khan has been widely praised for his tireless efforts in bringing together prominent Pakistani community leaders from across Japan under one platform. His continuous engagement with the Pakistani diaspora and his dedication to resolving community issues have earned him considerable respect among overseas Pakistanis.
Observers believe that the establishment of this advisory council will open a new chapter in cooperation between OPF and the Pakistani community in Japan and will help formulate practical initiatives for community welfare, employment opportunities, investment promotion and stronger Pakistan-Japan relations.
The council members will perform their duties voluntarily and without any financial liability on the part of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, reflecting their collective commitment to serving the Pakistani community and contributing to Pakistan’s social and economic progress.
