All stranded Pakistanis in Europe, ME to be brought to country by July 20, NA told

Islamabad: Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan has assured that all the stranded Pakistanis in Europe and the Middle East will be brought to the country by 20th of this month.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Friday, he said PIA has operated special flights to bring overseas Pakistanis to the country from the Middle Eastern Region. By now, 54116 stranded Pakistanis have been brought to the country in a dignified manner. He said those in Europe and the UK are also being transported to the country through chartered flights.

Ghulam Sarwar Khan said overseas Pakistanis are our precious asset and they are contributing immensely to the country’s economy. He said their remittances reached 29 billion dollars during the last fiscal year.

Responding to a calling attention notice, Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said several projects have been initiated in different cities under Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme to provide low cost houses to the common man. Construction of forty five thousand housing units is underway and work on them will be completed in eighteen months’ time.

Babar Awan said loans on low interest rates are also being provided to the people to construct houses. He said the banks have so far received 33506 loan applications amounting to 110 billion rupees. He said loans worth thirty five billion rupees have been approved.

Parliamentary Secretary for Defense Malik Anwar Taj laid before the house the Pakistan Maritime Zones Bill, 2021.

The opposition parties staged a walk out from the house for not agreeing to their suggestion to delay the board exams.

Earlier, the Parliamentary Secretary for Education Wajiha Qamar said exams cannot be delayed. She said the decision to hold board exams was taken in consultation with the provinces. She said exams have already been held in Balochistan whilst these are underway in Sindh province.