Author: OPN
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A high-level delegation from the Pakistani American Community of Long Island (PACOLI), led by Founder and Chairman Bashir Qamer, participated in the prestigious “U.S. and Pakistan: Past, Present, and Future” symposium held at the Capitol Hill Building in Washington, D.C. The symposium was hosted by esteemed members of the U.S. Congress who oversee the Pakistan Caucus, Senator Tom Suozzi and Congressman Jack Bergman. Underscoring the event’s high diplomatic significance, the symposium featured special participation from the Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, and Senior U.S. State Department Official Natalie Baker. Leading business figures…
Calgary: An Eid Milan party was hosted in Calgary by the representative Kashmiri community organization Kashmir Canada Association, where members of the Kashmiri community along with political, social, and business personalities participated in large numbers. The event was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere with the aim of bringing the community together to celebrate Eid and strengthen mutual connections. The Mayor of Calgary, Jeromy Farkas, attended the event as a special guest. A large number of people belonging to Azad Kashmir living in Calgary were present on the occasion. Well-known political and social figure Raja Abdul Qadeer Kham and…
Financial oversight of overseas operations became a key focus during the National Assembly Standing committee on overseas meeting, particularly regarding expenditures in Italy. Officials attributed increased operational costs to exchange rate fluctuations, but committee members demanded concrete explanations rather than assumptions. One member questioned why overseas operational costs increase while minimum wages inside Pakistan remain stagnant despite inflation. The committee also reviewed data showing 353 Pakistani prisoners in Italy, including three women, and sought details on legal assistance mechanisms. Serious concerns were raised about the performance of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation after the chairman noted that a helpline for repatriation…
National Assembly Standing Committee meeting focused extensively on new immigration developments in Spain, where officials reported that approximately 140,000 Pakistanis are currently residing. A briefing revealed that the Community Welfare Attaché position in Spain remained vacant for six years before being restored. Officials noted that Spain recently introduced a policy benefiting migrants who entered the country before December 31, with the process running from April to June. However, documentation challenges remain severe. Many applicants either have expired passports or have lost them, while others entered through irregular routes and lack entry stamps required by the National Police Bureau (Pakistan) for…
A meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Pakistan on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development is currently in progress, chaired by Agha Rafiullah. The committee received a detailed briefing on issues faced by overseas Pakistanis, particularly those related to the issuance of driving licenses and identity documentation. During the discussion, the chairman highlighted concerns about the criminal record verification process, noting that records are often checked only in a person’s province of origin. He emphasized that if someone originally belongs to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but has lived for years in Karachi, verification should cover all provinces. Committee…
MADRID: The Overseas Pakistanis Global Foundation has called on the Government of Pakistan to abolish the requirement of obtaining a police report in Spain before the issuance of new Pakistani passports, stating that the condition is jeopardizing the future of thousands of Pakistanis residing there. In letters addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Overseas Pakistanis Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Director General Immigration and Passports Mustafa Jamal Qazi, Chairman Akhtar Zaher Ahmed urged immediate intervention on humanitarian grounds. The foundation stated that the Spanish government has introduced a historic policy…
UK Community Leader Meets OPF Chairman in Islamaba A delegation led by prominent UK-based community leader Chaudhry Abdul Ghaffar held a meeting with Chairman Board of Governors, Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), Syed Qamar Raza at the OPF Head Office in Islamabad. Chaudhry Abdul Ghaffar was accompanied by his associates during the meeting. During the interaction, matters related to the welfare of overseas Pakistanis were discussed in detail. The delegation highlighted various issues being faced by the overseas community, particularly those related to administrative procedures, facilitation services, and support mechanisms in Pakistan. Chairman OPF Syed Qamar Raza assured the delegation that…
The Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, in collaboration with the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, will hold the Overseas Kashmiris Convention 2026 in Muzaffarabad from February 15 to 17. The convention aims to engage overseas Kashmiris on key issues affecting them and to strengthen their connection with Azad Kashmir. During the convention, group discussions and dialogue sessions will be organized to deliberate on challenges faced by overseas Kashmiris, investment opportunities in Azad Kashmir, and other important matters. The sessions are expected to provide a structured platform for meaningful interaction between stakeholders. Overseas Kashmiris will be able to raise their legitimate grievances…
A grand Overseas Convention was held in Barcelona on January 25, 2026, under the auspices of HOOP (Hope of Overseas Pakistanis), which was attended by a large number of overseas Pakistanis across Spain and Europe. Federal Minister for Law & Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar and Syed Qamar Raza Shah, Chairman Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, addressed the convention, highlighting legal facilitation, institutional reforms, and effective grievance redressal for overseas Pakistanis, along with progress on key overseas-focused policy initiatives. The gathering was also addressed by Dr. Zahoor Ahmed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Spain; Dr. Sajid Tarar, Patron-in-Chief HOOP; Ahsan Bhoon, Member Pakistan…
Islamabad: The Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, H.E. Chaudhry Salik Hussain, represented Pakistan at the 3rd Edition of the Global Labour Market Conference (GLMC) held in Riyadh, where he underscored Pakistan’s commitment to modern labour policies, skills readiness, and alignment with international best practices. During the high-level Ministerial Roundtable, the Federal Minister presented Pakistan’s stance on labour market transformation, emphasizing a shift toward dynamic, demand-driven skills alignment, digitisation of the Bureau of Emigration, and the integration of training curriculum with real-time global labour demand. He highlighted Pakistan’s focus on high-growth sectors such as construction, healthcare,…