ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government is planning to establish six new protectorate offices in different cities to provide greater accessibility and ease to Pakistani looking to work abroad, a senior official said on Sunday.
The South Asian country currently has nine Protectorate of Emigrant offices located in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Multan, Malakand, DG Khan and Sialkot cities, according to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis.
The plan to establish another six protectorate offices was unveiled at a meeting, presided over by Pakistan prime minister’s aide on overseas Pakistanis, Jawad Sohrab Malik, that was aimed at better serving the needs of prospective Pakistani migrant workers.
“This initiative aims to streamline services, making them easily accessible to the common masses and eliminating the need for extensive travel. In line with these initiatives, discussions were held on the role of new Protectorate Offices in facilitating emigrants and promptly addressing their concerns,” Malik was quoted as saying in a statement shared by his ministry.
“The overarching goal is to enhance the overall experience for Pakistani migrant workers and to create a system that is efficient, accessible, and free from corruption.”
The newly proposed protectorate offices will be strategically located in Sukkur, Abbottabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gwadar, Islamabad, and Gilgit-Baltistan, according to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis.
The development comes as Pakistan treads a tricky path to economic recovery after signing a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout deal that averted a looming default in June this year.
A large number of Pakistanis work abroad, mostly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), whose remittances play a crucial role for the South Asian country in maintaining its foreign exchange reserves.
Malik emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring universal access to protectorate offices and saying it had lifted previously imposed restrictions, based on location of issuance of identity cards or of domiciles, for protectorate services.
“Consequently, individuals, regardless of domicile or the location of ID card issuance, can now avail the facilities and services offered by any Protectorate Office in Pakistan,” the statement read. “This strategic initiative is aimed at optimizing and simplifying the overall process, ensuring ease of access for all stakeholders without any hindrance.”
Malik said this significant step reaffirmed the government’s dedication to the welfare and support of overseas Pakistanis, with an emphasis on providing comprehensive services and resolving issues faced by individuals seeking employment opportunities abroad.
