Educational seats reserved for Pak expat children

Around 5,000 seats in skills development courses throughout Pakistan have been reserved for the children of overseas Pakistanis by the current government, said the Chairman of Overseas Pakistani Foundation while addressing a community gathering in Sharjah.

“Under the directions of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, a 5% quota in educational institutions and 5,000 seats in skills development courses under the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) have been reserved for children of overseas Pakistanis and we assure you that more good news will be shared soon,” he said.

Syed Qamar Raza was attending an interactive session with the Pakistani community at the Pakistan Social Centre Sharjah (PSCS) organised by the office-bearers.

The event was also attended by Hussain Muhammad, Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai, Community Welfare Attachés Imran Shahid and Junaid Murtaza.

Khalid Chaudhry from PSCS said that the event was organised to provide an opportunity for overseas Pakistanis to interact with the Chairman OPF and share their ideas and inputs on community-related matters. Community leaders congratulated the Chairman on the successful Overseas Pakistanis Convention held earlier this year in Pakistan and appreciated OPF’s continued efforts for the welfare of expatriates. Addressing the gathering, Raza emphasised that overseas Pakistanis remain very close to the hearts of Pakistan’s leadership.

He highlighted that more than $38 billion in annual remittances from overseas Pakistanis play a pivotal role in the country’s economy and encouraged expatriates to continue remitting their hard-earned money through legal channels.

The Chairman shared several initiatives undertaken for the welfare of the diaspora.

He added that a comprehensive plan will be formulated to cater for the educational needs of Pakistani students in the UAE.

Raza further highlighted the establishment of dedicated special courts for resolving property disputes faced by overseas Pakistanis.

The Chairman announced that the next annual Overseas Pakistanis Convention will be held in April 2026 in Pakistan, reiterating that the credit for the success of these conventions goes to the overseas community. He underlined that such interactive sessions provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by overseas Pakistanis and help the government devise effective solutions for their welfare.