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Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Over 58,000 Pakistanis deported from various states since 2023
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel was informed on Tuesday that more than 58,000 Pakistanis have been deported from various countries since 2023, with a significant number facing repatriation on charges related to beggary and immigration violations. Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, the Interior Ministry officials revealed that 5,600 deportees were expelled specifically for beggary from Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. The committee, chaired by Zeeshan Khanzada, reviewed data submitted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad. According to the Director General of Passports and Immigration, Mustafa Jamal Kazi, many Pakistani citizens had overstayed their visas while travelling for religious pilgrimages to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. Kazi disclosed that around 34,000 Pakistanis were deported from Iran last year, while nearly 50,000 were sent back from Iraq. He also pointed to a growing trend of asylum seekers, with approximately 125,000 Pakistanis applying for asylum in European countries during the last one year. The committee raised concerns over the increase in deportations due to fake documentation and beggary, noting that such incidents have damaged Pakistan's international image and strained relations with brotherly countries in the Gulf and Middle East. Interior Ministry officials confirmed that the names of deportees have been placed on the Passport Control List (PCL), and in some cases, their passports have been cancelled in an effort to curb this trend. However, Senator Shahadat Awan, a member of the committee, objected, arguing that cancelling passports for offences committed outside Pakistan's jurisdiction may not be legally justified. The committee further inquired about the Interior Ministry's action against Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs) suspected of facilitating illegal or exploitative migration. Officials revealed that 1,460 deportees had travelled through 691 OEPs. Show-cause notices have been issued to those implicated, and the panel has recommended initiating criminal proceedings against the promoters involved in sending individuals abroad for beggary or with falsified documents. Zamir Hussain Ghumro, another member of the panel, questioned what steps the ministry has taken to prevent such crimes, which he said have brought shame to the country. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development informed the committee that 7,873 Pakistanis were deported between 2019 and 2025, with 1,064 of those cases linked to beggary. The panel has also sought a breakdown of 5,000 deportees who travelled on work permits or visit visas to evaluate the involvement of employment agents. In a separate briefing, the managing director of the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) presented updates on economic diplomacy initiatives aimed at promoting the export of skilled labour. He said that approximately 10.3 million skilled Pakistani workers are currently employed overseas. The OEC has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with 18 countries, with an additional 15 under negotiation. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
29-01-2025
- Automotive
- Express Tribune
Renewable energy targets demand $100b investment
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan needed over $100 billion investment to shift its policy towards renewables to achieving a carbon neutral energy sector, climate ministry officials informed the Senate Standing Committee on Wednesday. They said that the country required $50 billion to achieve 60% renewable energy target by 2030, more investment to reduce emissions by 50%, besides $18 billion to fully operationalise the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) Plan-2023-30. The committee met here with its chairperson Sherry Rehman in the chair. The meeting was informed that support from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) would play a crucial role in implementing the plans and achieving climate targets. The committee received a briefing from industries and production ministry officials on the electric vehicle (EV) policy. The officials said that he prime minister had formed a steering committee on the EV policy. During the meeting, the climate change secretary said that introducing EVs in public transport was crucial to reduce carbon emissions. He stated that transport had the greatest impact on air quality, adding that a proposal to subsidise two- and three-wheelers was currently under consideration. However, the chair noted that pollution from other sources was spreading more than vehicular emissions. She also criticised the industries ministry officials for lack of preparedness. "It is regrettable that the officials do not even know the exact number of local EV manufacturers," she said. Rehman asked the officials as to how they planned to operate EVs without a clear strategy. She emphasised that the government could not halt solarisation by modifying net metering regulations. She urged the climate change ministry to oppose any policies that discouraged solar energy. Energy Minister Awais Leghari told the committee that a solar revolution was already under way in the country. He reminded the committee that he had introduced net metering regulations in 2017 and assured that there was no plan to discourage solarisation. Leghari stated that solar investments were currently recovered within 18 months, but under the new regulations, this period would extend to four years. He noted that solar system owners were selling electricity at Rs22 per unit. However, he highlighted that the government was buying electricity from solar producers at high costs and selling it to the consumers at lower rates. Senator Zarqa Taimur urged the government to reduce transmission losses and emphasised that agreements under net metering should remain unchanged. Leghari warned that if the new regulations were not enforced, other consumers would bear an additional burden of Rs103 billion. Leghari revealed that the government had exited the business of direct purchase of electricity from the producers. He also disclosed that the plans were in hand to divide the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) into three entities. The energy minister confirmed that talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were under way for a three-year energy package, and assured that the government had plans to allocate electricity to industries at affordable rates. Leghari acknowledged that previous power plants were installed under various policies but under a new system, future power plants would be installed through a competitive bidding process. He emphasised the need for green finance to support the transition. According to Leghari, 2,500MW of thermal power plants had already been retired, and the government was actively working to accelerate the shift towards green energy. He added that the government was working to retire 200MW furnace-based power plants which required green financing. Leghari underscored the importance of attracting investment to successfully implement the EV policy. He argued that more charging stations would encourage the adoption of the EVs. "With more charging stations, people will be more inclined to switch to electric vehicles," he stated. The climate change secretary told the committee that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) was actively working on financing green energy projects. However, Rehman criticised a slow progress. "Even after five years, the authorities are still saying that the State Bank is working on it," she said. Senator Sherry Rehman called for availability of loans to the consumers for transitioning to EVs. The climate change ministry officials confirmed that the federal government had introduced a special tariff for the EVs charging stations.
