Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has declared civil awards to 16 Pakistanis abroad as a reward to their extraordinary services and contributions to the country. The move serves as a commitment that the prime minister had earlier made to award the expatriates who have extensively served the Pakistan interests in other countries.
It has been embraced well by the overseas communities who see the move as a form of recognition to their hard work in ensuring that the economy of Pakistan and its image around the world have been enhanced.
Awards to Be Presented on Pakistan Day
The conferences of the civil awards will be performed at the next Pakistan day ceremony on March 23, one of the most significant national holidays in the country, according to the official sources.
The outstanding expatriates will be recognized on the basis of their contribution in the fields of business, philanthropy, leadership in the community, and also international representation. According to government officials, most of the beneficiaries have been informal ambassadors of Pakistan by spreading the positive image of the country across the world.
Fulfillment of Earlier Commitment
This announcement is preceded by a promise of the prime minister in April 2025 when he promised overseas Pakistanis that their efforts- especially investments and economic support will be officially acknowledged.
During this time, the government emphasized the importance of the expatriates in boosting the economy of Pakistan on account of foreign remittances, entrepreneurship, and international networking. The civil awards are being regarded as a follow up to the endeavors of intensifying the involvement with the Pakistani diaspora.
Recognizing the Role of Overseas Pakistanis
Pakistani in the overseas is generally considered to be a support to the economy of the country. Millions of expatriates remit billions of dollars each year, and this money will assist in stabilizing foreign exchange reserves and continued economic growth.
In addition to financial contributions, the overseas Pakistanis also make their contribution by:
- Promoting Pakistani culture internationally
- Facilitating global trade partnerships
- Supporting humanitarian and charitable causes
- Representing Pakistan in professional and diplomatic circles
The government officials think that such recognition will help to get more people participate and invest in the economy by formally recognizing such people.
Introduction of a New Incentive Package
The government has also declared an all-inclusive incentive package to consolidate relationships with expatriates and their families, along with the civil awards.
The package is designed to:
- Encourage overseas investment in key sectors
- Improve access to public services
- Strengthen connections between expatriates and their homeland
The officials explain that the move is a continuation of a larger plan to improve the involvement of the diaspora and establish a more accommodating structure to the overseas Pakistanis.
Next-Generation Membership Card
One of the major elements in the new package is the introduction of the next generation membership card to expatriate Pakistanis. Card will have state of art digital verification and security characteristics.
According to officials, the new system will provide:
- Better identity protection
- Simplified verification procedures
- Streamlined access to government services and benefits
It is hoped that by the digital structure, the delay in the administration aspect will be minimized and the delivery of services will become more streamlined.
Benefits for Overseas Families
The incentive package will also likely be beneficial to the families of the Pakistanis who are overseas and living in the country. The suggested facilitation strategies are better administrative assistance and priority admission to selected governmental programs.
These measures indicate the will of the administration to keep good emotional and financial relationship with the Pakistani diaspora.
Public Reaction and Outlook
Overseas communities have reacted positively to the announcement with many of them interpreting the announcement as a long overdue appreciation of their efforts.
Policy analysts however observe that these programs will achieve success in the long term based on transparency of implementation, consistency in communication and effective delivery of promised benefits.
The choice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to give 16 Pakistani figures in exile civil awards is a great move to appreciate the work of the diaspora. Together with a new incentive package and digital membership that is introduced, the project indicates the interest of the government to intensify the connection with the Pakistanis in foreign countries and promote further interaction with the motherland.
