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The Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) has been summoned to meet on Monday, the 2nd March, 2026 at 10.30 a.m. in the Parliament House, Islamabad. The National Assembly has been summoned to meet on Tuesday, the 3rd March, 2026 at 03:00 p.m. in the Parliament House, Islamabad. Committee Meetings:01:30 PM: 3rd meeting of the Sub-Committee of the SC on Power Division (Revised, Change in Time) at Committee Room No.7 (4th Floor), Parliament House, Islamabad | 02:00 PM: 9th meeting of the SC on Government Assurances at Constitution Room / Committee Room No. 5 (2nd Floor), Parliament House , Islamabad | 03:30 PM: 20th meeting of the Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming at Committee Room of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Block-F, Pak-Secretariat, Islamabad |
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Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development meets

Wednesday, 25th February, 2026

Islamabad (February 25, 2026) The Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, chaired by Syed Rafiullah, MNA met today at the Constitution Room, Parliament House, Islamabad to consider country-wise performance of Community Welfare Attachés (CWAs) in Europe and to review implementation of the Committee’s earlier directions.

2. The Committee received mission reports from CWAs covering Italy, Spain and Greece and noted common operational shortcomings that require urgent remedial action. Members recorded concern at repeated instances of passport loss, inconsistent character-verification practices across provinces, delays in apostille processing and limited capacity for regular prison outreach. The Chair underlined that facilitation must be matched by clear, accountable processes and verifiable outcomes.

3. On Italy, the mission reported a substantial Pakistani population.  The mission confirmed progress on a bilateral MOU signed in 2025 and an allocation of 3,500 labour slots (including 1,500 non-seasonal). The Committee was apprised of continuing challenges: pending work visas, passport loss cases (including repeat losses), and verification backlogs in certain provinces (notably Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), where the national status verification is not yet online.

4. The CWA for Spain outlined the mission’s efforts after a long vacancy: the station is working to regularise applicants (targeting 20,000 regularisations among 140,000 Pakistanis resident), but procedural hurdles remain — notably apostille delays, difficulties in obtaining national police bureau certificates, and problems with repeated passport losses. The Committee welcomed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plan for a one-window apostille operation (to be developed with National Police Bureau) and demanded an expedited timeline. Members also pressed for faster resolution of repatriation and death-case service queries.

5. In respect of Greece, Members took note of a documented community of about 51,000 Pakistanis. The mission reported employer interest in agriculture, construction and tourism and a nursing-recruitment approach from an Athens medical group. The Committee noted the difficulty of securing minimum-wage protections for undocumented workers and sought a report from the ministry on the issues related to staff of Greece station.  

6. The Committee approved two PSDP initiatives proposed by the Ministry: (a) a Labour Market Research Cell to generate timely, sectoral intelligence; and (b) a Capacity-Building programme on Occupational Safety & Health to improve employer compliance and worker protection.

7. The Committee requested a list of CWA officers serving beyond authorised tenure and mandated that the Ministry regularise extensions under framed rules. The Committee asked the CWA in Spain to share details of 30–40 passport cases involving repeat loss and to take the matter up with the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports for remedial action.

8. The meeting of the Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was attended by MNAs; Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto (virtually) Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Ms Erum Hamid(virtually), Ms Mah Jabeen Khan Abbasi, Ms Saeeda Jamshid, Mr Farhan Chishti, Mian Khan Bugti (virtually), Mr Fatehullah Khan, Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Mr Nasir Iqbal Bosal, and Mr Muhammad Ilyas Choudhry.  The Meeting was also attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Planning.