Islamabad, Oct 4: Overseas Pakistanis Foundation Holds Meeting at Pakistani Embassy, Commits to Enhancing Community Services. The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) was founded with the goal of promoting community welfare. On Tuesday, the organization’s members were cordially welcomed by Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh at the Pakistan Embassy.
He said to the assembly in the Pakistani Embassy’s Jamsheed Marker Hall, “The doors of the Pakistani Embassy are open to community initiatives that contribute to the development and progress of our homeland,” according to a news release.
The OPF Board of Governors Chairman, Syed Qamar Raza, gave an overview of the Foundation’s future plans and services for foreigners at the commencement. He declared that he was working to ensure that Pakistanis living abroad and their families received better services and that their issues were promptly resolved.
In addition, Raza declared that the OPF’s Advisory Council will now have 200 members instead of just 15. This move is meant to promote inclusivity and guarantee that all segments of society are involved in Pakistan’s growth. He emphasized that for the country to advance, community unity regardless of political, linguistic, or other affiliations is essential.
During his speech, Ambassador Sheikh also mentioned that the community could rely on the infrastructure and personnel of the Embassy. Referencing previous instances in which members of the Pakistani community belonging to a minority group were assisted in planning events at the Embassy, he guaranteed that such initiatives would persist.
Our identity lies in Pakistan. He emphasized that all people living in the United States would always be recognized as Pakistani-Americans and that it was everyone’s duty to work together for the development of Pakistan, putting aside personal affiliations and priorities. “If Pakistan didn’t exist, none of us would be here today,” he said.
He emphasized that improving US-Pakistan ties, especially in the economic sphere, will directly help the Pakistani-American community, pointing out that the US is Pakistan’s biggest trading partner. “I want to work with the Pakistani community to ensure that mutual Pak-US interests are realized,” he said, urging the community to take a proactive role in strengthening the connection.
The ambassador praised the Pakistani community’s increasing political power in the US and noted that their active participation in American politics will enhance ties between the US and Pakistan.
OPF Chairman Raza asked for the community’s complete participation in achieving the Foundation’s objectives in his closing remarks, emphasizing the need to double the current level of foreign remittances. Prominent community activists like Jawad Shirazi, Asad Chaudhry, Ayesha Khan, and Mazhar Chughtai also gave statements during the ceremony.
