Dear friends
Asslam O Alaikum
Current prevailing situation in our beloved country is a matter of concern for all of us, political unrest, energy crises, declining foreign exchange reserves, out flow of investments and above all, alarming increase in violence are posing a real threat to economic and social stability in Pakistan.
Our problems are deep rooted and require a lot of struggle and hardship to overcome. Here I want to start some discussions about the problems our country is facing and how we can help to overcome these problems. I have noticed that many knowledgeable Pakistani friends do visit this site frequently. I would like to take this opportunity to invite them to take part in these discussions and oblige us. I myself am not highly educated and expert Pakistani but I am sure that a lot of visiting friends do have the ability and expertise to participate and share their views with other friends. I can reserve a separate domain for this purpose but let us start from here first.
First of all let us discuss about the role of overseas Pakistanis in the development of Pakistan, how we can help to bring progress and prosperity in Pakistan.
God bless you all.
Best Regards
Admin
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Talk to any one here in England and they will ask you “Why do Pakistanis vote for the same corrupt politicians despite the fact that they know they are corrupt? Don’t they have anyone else in their country?”
Their officials and politicians take out huge loans from international banks in the publics name and feed the public a few bowls of rice to vote for them and the public sells its future. Hence the interest on these loans is greater than their budget on education. So the governments prints more and more rupees to exchange it for any new dollars or pounds coming in. If the over seas Pakistanis did not send money to Pakistan, its economy would have collapsed long ago.
They export very little and import a lot. If you do not sell any thing, but buy a lot you go bankrupt. Its as simple as that. You also have to attract customers to your shop. Currently people feel unsafe going into Pakistan. There is a perception that it is a land with no law. You can not sell any thing until you produce some thing. To produce something you need industry and companies. Companies need educated honest people with the ability to think, innovate and solve problems and a stable business friendly environment to thrive in. Not an environment where your out goings in the form of bribes are too high as it is an indeterminate cost. Building up an economy is like planting corn in a field. But currently Pakistan has big weeds growing in the field. So big that a bulldozer is needed to remove the big tree weeds before even the tractor could go in, before the seeds the small companies could be thrown in. Until the public in Pakistan organises it self and says enough is enough and stands up for its rights and stops voting for corrupt people their situation will remain the same. Most over seas Pakistanis do not have an opportunity to vote in elections in Pakistan. For better or worst, Pakistanis in Pakistan decide their future.
I was standing as a presiding officer in charge of a polling station in Halifax in West Yorkshire in England last year. A 90 year old English lady said to me “We worked hard to get the right to vote and decide our future. We are appalled by reports of some Pakistani politicians doing fraud with postal votes in England. We do not want our country to become like Pakistan.
I was born in the UK and I decided to invest in Pakistan. My father bought some land in District Mirpur, Azad Kashmir in 1979.
Then about 10 years ago I sent my father to Pakistan to build a building
there so that I could teach kids software programming and set up a
software development centre there.
It is a four story building with shops at the bottom. We collect the rent
from the shops and every one in the area know that it is our land. It has
been our land since 1979.
We have all the documentation to prove that it is our land. But in the
land registry in District Mirpur they changed it onto some one else’s
name. Their records show that it was on my fathers name and then they
altered it. This situation has been going on for many years now and until
it is resolved I can not afford to invest any more money there to install
the computers and the furniture and hire the staff.
It is taking me years to put my own land back on to my name in the
district Mirpur records. In the same amount of time software companies in
India have grown to employ hundreds of thousands of people and earn their
country billions of dollars in foreign currency earnings.
In District Mirpur over 80% of the population lives in the UK. If any area in Pakistan could be developed it is District Mirpur. Due to the fact that so many people of Mirpuri origin live in the UK there is a lot of money there. If Mirpur was well governed that place could surpass Dubai within a few years. It has a lot of intellectual capital (in the form of educated youngsters of Mirpuri origin who live in the UK) and a lot of financial capital.
But there is institutionalised corruption there. They take away the land of poor people and of Pakistani expats and are involved in a lot of corruption. Until the public in Pakistan organises it self and says enough is enough and stands up for its rights, becomes honest and stops voting for corrupt people their situation will remain the same.
well said .. the number one problem in pakistan is its curruption from the moment you step off the plane you regret ever coming to that place
Hello,
i like to buy saving certificate please let me know how to purchase these iteam.
Is ther any arrangement for oversease Pakistanis.
your early reply will appriciated.
thanks.
IQBAL
Canada.
Iqbal sahib
I think Pakistan National Savings do not have any branches outside Pakistan. You can ask a trusted relative or friend in Pakistan to buy certificates on your behalf. For more details about different schemes, please check the following website.
http://www.savings.gov.pk/
Best Regards
Overseas
Iqbal :
Check any pakistani bank in canada.
In UAE We can purcashe through UBL and HBL.
Thanks and best regards
Khalid
A lot of benefits are generated by overseas pakistanis in the property market. As a property developer in Islamabad, we are involved in the construction industry in Islamabad and have found that it is mostly Overseas Pakistanis who are willing to provide the funding for large projects and are also the majority of the buyers. The benefits to the local economy are noticeable. After the projects have been completed, most of the properties are rented in the local market at lower than market rates also by the overseas pakistani buyers.
Let’s provide small suggestion how we can began step by step. I strongly believe that overseas Pakistani are willing to invest in Pakistan period.
Just take one sector only.
Property/Housing/ and or agricultural real estate etc. Any Pakistani who so ever have no other interest or knowledge of industry are ready to invest in Pakistan in a very short notice on above sectors.
The Government of Pakistan should come up with attractive and favorable policy guaranteed secure solid investments no fraudulent if and buts – adopt clear cut policy and show the upfront prices under the government protection and security for their investments – Just USA and Canada
Open sector in all major cities:
Plat – 1 1/2 3/4 1/4 kanal = price so and so
House we build for on above = price so and so
the above will be delivered upon full payments on or before 200?.
I’m sure this alone sector will not only create many many jobs for peoples of Pakistan and also build bridge – permanent links with overseas, who look back to their homeland country from time to time and visit periodically and delivered the portions of their contribution to their country.
The above will be serve as a seeds for the further and major investments in future within these groups of people.
Regards.
Adnan, You make some good points and raise some good questions. You are generalising a little too much though so let me try and answer some of your questions.
The majority of pakistanis who have returned to Pakistan transfer their money using LEGAL means through the banks. This is so that their money is seen as white money. Those that transfer the money through illegal means are doing so because their money is NOT white and they are unable to put it into a bank in the UK or America as the authorities will ask where it came from and whether tax has been paid on it.
Pakistanis who are settled abroad have a VERY GOOD reputation in the most part since they are amongst the most educated people there and have jobs and careers and professions and they contribute to society. The BAD reputation comes from the illegal pakistanis who cannot live there or work their or study there legally. I don’t classify them as overseas Pakistanis.
A HUGE amount of money is sent to Pakistan by overseas Pakistanis and this money is used by their relatives and is spent IN PAKISTAN thereby helping the entire economy. They come here and they buy property or build new properties and they are unfairly charged much more for everday items by local traders and shops because they are seen as easy targets. On the OTHER hand, our politicians and elite businessmen choose to buy palaces and business and property abroad and send their children to schools in other countries and live like paupers in Pakistan refusing to spend much money here.
Finally I’d like to say that when you grow up in a well ordered country where all the systems and law and order are clean and proper, you cannot understand a place like Pakistan where even if you want to pay taxes, you are forced to pay bribes instead to corrupt officials who tell you that this is how things are done here. When you try to do ANYTHING where government or officials are involved you end up being asked for bribes or treated very badly just to carry out a simple task. This is what you may be referring to as SPECIAL TREATMENT. Yes, overseas pakistanis DO expect that when they deal with people here they are dealt with fairly and politely since they are doing a LOT for the country…they don’t HAVE to come here or spend their money here and many who have received bad treatment here refuse to ever come back and that in itself is a great loss to Pakistan.
Next time you meet a RETURNEE, perhaps you could be nicer to them and fairer to them and give them special treatment and tell those around you that without these people pakistan would be much worse off.
@Nasir Mahmood,
My dear you should get your facts right before making coments on this topic, instead of listening to politicians or people who just say i heared it from so and so,
If i may point out to your comments about transferring money thru banks, as per your comment being white money, and those that choose to do it thru, private shops, you have your facts wrong,
just because the pakistani government so i have been told (“that they only want money transfered thru banks”) nonsense to say this is white money, this can still be bad money.
If anybody wants to send money to pakistan thru a shop or a private person, there is no big deal,
I think you have no idea about costs, involved when sending thru banks, i have my own buisness, and some of the costs charged by banks are like “gangsters” they can charge anything from £25 to £50 and thats just for transferring charge, and then they will give you a rate which is no where near the market spot rate, means could be ruppee 2 to ruppee 10 less ,, (they want to make money on your money”
and thats not even 1 part of it, if you want to try to send money to UAE, saudi arabia, generally middleeast mostly they want you to do it thru USA,
So you want to tell us about white money and black money,
we are defaulted by banks, the “banks legally , thieves, ”
Give it a break, because the more you dig for all this its dirty all around,
I dont see any problem with transferring moeny thru shop or money transfer agents,
1, they give a better rate than the banks
2, they dont charge any where like the ridiculous rates the banks charge,
£30 can mean approx ruppess 3900, “@ 130 a pound” so do you really want to loose that money ,
well you maybe be rich, but there are alot of people out there who live on less than per month,
Amir’s comments reflect the psyche of the poor and neglected Pakistani. Although overseas Pakistanis are not responsible for their problems and majority of overseas Pakistanis themselves belong to the same neglected class. The only difference is that, by some means they get a chance to go out of their homeland where they have better returns for their hard work and are able to save some extra money. In reality the money sent by Pakistanis abroad is like blood stream in Pakistani economy and it helps to reduce the problems of the poor. In order to safeguard their hard earned money, most of the people prefer to invest in properties because there are no other options available for them. This money can be diverted towards industrialization of the country but that is government’s job and our governments do not have the ability to plan and implement such policies.
There are a lot of overseas Pakistanis who are well trained and capable of helping the government but they do not have any influence to do so and their money as well as expertise is not being utilized by Pakistan. This is very lengthy subject and I shall leave it for other friends to add their view point but I would like to ensure Mr. Amir that his thinking is wrong, overseas Pakistanis love Pakistan and Pakistanis more than inland Pakistanis and they are not responsible for their problems.
God bless you all
Overseas
oh and I forgot…Aamirs comment reminds me of a comment the George Bush made….He suggested that prices of food in America were going up because Indians are getting richer and eating better food leaving less for the rest of the world…!!! WHAT A MORON !!!
Overseas Paksitanis do NOT increase prices in Pakistan. It is the CORRUPT officials who are REPEATEDLY “VOTED” back into power and continue to RAPE the country and sell off any assets that they can and yet the Pakistani ppl still stand behind the likes of Benazir and Zardari knowing full well that these people took away BILLIONS from the country.
The increase in prices of everything is a worldwide phenomenon. I was talking to relatives in the UK and Holland and they are very worried. Bread and other basic food items have increased in price by almost 100% in the last 6 MONTHS in Europe!!
The problem here in Islamabad is that people just like to complain and find scapegoats instead of looking at what is happening all over the world. Fuel prices are increasing WORLDWIDE as are FOOD prices due to the use of food items to make alternative fuels. Inflation is RAMPANT everywhere because of the use of INTEREST in every aspect of life.
The local Pakistanis are the biggest problems with the country because they spend their ENTIRE lives trying to find ways to leave Pakistan causing a huge drain in terms of skills, labour and capital.
Overseen Pakistanis definitly show their concern but practically they are doing nothing great for Pakistan except criticizing.The overseas Pakistani should analyze themselves 1)Arent most of them transferring the money through illegal means to Pakistan? 2)What they are doing their to introduce our country and help to improve the reputation of Pakistan 3) Sometimes they even hesitant to declare their nationality? 4)Do they celebrate national day there? 5)Overseas Pakistanis are not Tax payers to Pakistan, then why they are expecting of being facilitate when they come here? 6) They even dont bother to cast their vote.7) It is possible that I am unaware of the role overseas Pakistanis are playing for the betterment of Pakistan so please can any overseas Pakistani inform me about the role. Please dont mention the indivisuals but as the whole community there.
Adnan Siddiqui
Please improve your knowledge as overseas Pakistanis are sending more than US $ 6 billions for u to import cosmetics and bullet proof cars.
Overseas Pakistanis role not good. They increase price in Pakistan. All overseas buying property and make poor Pakistani more poor. Why they not work in Pakistan and live like other poor people?
Test reply
First of All Asalam Alikum to every body , Pakistan is going in a very critical condition and we overseas & domestic Pakistanis can help our country to get out from these current issues by : If each person (Pakistani) living in or out of our country donates 300/= Rs or more than that , we can achive many goals because the population of Pakistan is above 16 Corore this we can do every month but we should have a sincere Government also, the govt of our country is making the poor people more poor and has finished the middle class b doing this the CRIME ratio is increasing. Plz for ALLAH sake dont worry the citizens of Pakistan.
By generating funds we can stand on our legs and never ask for AID from anybody.
Najeeb Khalid
Presidnet
Human Rights Citizen Committee Int’l (Regd)
ya i agree to u. you r rite.v al pakistani can generate fuds n help d pak in dis situation.
This is good calculation. I have a proposal too.
Note the World Commercial Banks failed and go bankrupt.
Why not have a POOR MANS BANK. I have a detail proposal
in this regards.Those interested to have details
Can contact me. I will also post the details shortly
B. Shah
please join pakistn tehreek E insaf research wing. i beleive that imran khan is a very honest person and he will work for people of pakistan
Kiya sab alloo kay pathe zardari kay liey. Khuda is ko uthai
@Najeeb Khalid, its nice to see that we all are concerned of the national issues but don’t you think we have talked enough on the subject and this is time to do something practical.. i m having a project in hand for which i m running out of resources can we do a lot to the people of our poor land with the amount which is so little for the community living abroad and changing the fate of these people.. please contact me on 03316540753 if u are intrusted at all to help these poor people
@Surryia Mahmood,
Asalam u Alaikum
Itz me Abdul Basit from islamabad pakistan
Miss i get ur email from a site..
i want ur help if u can
i am participating in essay writing competion
The topic is
“Current Situation of Pakistan and Role of yougsters”
Can u plz give me essay on this topic..only 2 days left in competition..
Regards
ABDUL BASIT
@Overseas, You Just go through the contents of the discussion and will find that every body feels that he or she has the right solution.
Every nation must have some consensus. Consensus is the basis of statehood. As long has that state has the consensus it prospers and as the time passes different interpretation start because of the requirements of time.
Do not forget that no Idealogical State Ever Survived more than 100 Years. Soviet Union Was Based on Socialist Ideology and gone like a wind. Israel and Pakistan are the only two states left. We were living on that land and will keep living on that Land Known as Pakistan. Pakistani Nation has two Choices: Shut their Mouths and Start Teaching their Children with out Demanding. When their Children will Prosper Pakistan or any other Place where they will be living will prosper. Prosperity is the collective benefit of collective efforts. Who knows more than Overseas Pakistanis? What is our Productivity in Pakistan as compared with Developed nations. Some people think Zardari is Devil, Some think Musharaf Was Devil, Some think Imran Or Nawaz Sharif are their saviors. But the problem is weather Nawaz Sharif Or Imran Khan or Even the Best Person on this earth can not help them because they DO NOT KEEP THEIR MOUTH SHUT and think that they know every thing.
They want to Export but do not understand that for exporting they need customers and if people living in Pakistan are afraid of even going out then who will come to buy from outside.
They have found now USA, Zardari and Musharaf as Devils and Imran and Nawaz Sharif are their saviors. Let them live as they do think because THEY ARE NOW REAPING THE BENEFITS OF JUSTICE FOR EVERY BODY AND TRUE DEMOCRACY. RULE OF THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE. LET THEM LIVE IN THEIR NEW FOUND HEAVEN. DO NOT THINK ABOUT THEM AND WASTE YOUR TIME
@Overseas, If you are really Lovers of Pakistan then make strong Pakistan’s Economy and Lead Pakistan via Investment in Pakistan.
The best opportunity in Pakistan investment is in Gwadar – The future of Pakistan:
Government of Pakistan and Baluchistan are sincerely working to find ways and means to Make Gwadar the Dream City were People work and enjoy peaceful living.
Following steps have been taken to give boost to Pakistan economy:
Gwadar EPZ industries get 10-year tax exemption:
* Industrial units in EPZ allowed to sell 50 percent of their produce locally:
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Saturday notified a tax exemption on profits and gains of any industrial unit in the Gwadar Export Processing Zone (EPZ) for a period of 10 years.
The exemption will commence from the time the industrial unit is set up or begins commercial operations.
The FBR also notified that industrial units established in the Gwadar EPZ would be allowed to sell 50 percent of their produce in the local market, compared to 20 percent previously.
The remaining produce can be exported as per the producer’s preference.
Earlier, the industrial units located in the Gwadar EPZ needed to export 80 percent of their production for availing tax exemptions and incentives.
The FBR issued SRO 606(I)/2009, which amended the Second Schedule of the Income Tax Ordinance and added a new clause, 126-D, after clause 126-C.
The FBR also issued a notification SRO 612 (I)/2009 that amended the Customs Rules.
According to newly-added clause IV, the licensee may procure duty-paid input goods manufactured locally in addition to duty-free input goods for the production of finished products.
If duty drawback and rebate of federal excise duty are admissible on exports of such finished products on the basis of standard duty drawback and rebate notification, the value for claiming duty drawbacks and rebates would be the products’ value less the value of the duty-free input goods.
LIST OF THE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED IN EPZONE:
1. Makkah City NOC : 01/04/IND/ GDA
2. Habitan Shelter NOC: 05/05/IND/GDA
3. Prince City NOC: 11/07/IND/GDA
4. Dream City Gwadar NOC: 12/IND/GDA
All overseasies Pakistani iz to mush love then Pakistani-Residience bcuz they r so far from pakistan that’s y they love more.
This is totally right. I have been reading all these comments and I believe the answer is so simple: Islam. Please brothers the answer is Islam Islam Islam. All balochis Sindhis punjabi Pathan have only Islam in common. We talk about our corrupt leaders and point fingers and yes part of the problem is that, but we never look upon our own shortcomings. Do we cheat? At a personnel level. On a exam maybe. There are many fake doctors out in Pakistan who have bought their degrees. Islam forbids cheating. Isnt,t cheating corruption. Do we lie. Is it not corruption. Do we deal interest. Do we back bite. Is it not corruption. How can we be mad at government when we partake in these haram and unlawful acts. No Imran khan or zardari can force you to help you to change or with these basic morales. They dont tell you to stop cheating and if they do, citzens won’t listen. Only Islam can help Pakistan. Because when Islam is implemented 100 percent people will stop.. willingly. And that is when corruption end. we need to go back to basics. Many won’t even realize this but nationalism is haram. Being too proud of being a Pakistani is essentially nationalism. We need to back to history and see that we are one Muslim ummahh. What is Pakistan? it is a country that was build to create a safe haven for MUSLIMS from India. The borders are sewn by Britain. Pakistan is nothing. Before we are Pakistanis, we are Muslims. But there is hope because Muhammad swt said there will be Khalifah! That unites the muslim ummah. IA we will stop worrying about Pakistan and take care of ummah. Islam brothers Islam. “To change the world we have to change ourself first” famous quote said by so many. I hope and pray to Allah to lead brothers an sister toward right path