Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) released its political manifesto and promised various projects to woo overseas Pakistanis—a prime source of remittances contributing to the country’s economy.
PML-N has promised to introduce reserve seats for Overseas Pakistanis in both houses—The upper house of the Parliament Senate and the lower house of the Parliament Senate.
The party lost the 2018 elections and termed elections as selections in the wake of the PTI victory. PMLN sat in the opposition and criticized the PTI cabinet and minister for the poor state of economic affairs.
In 2024, PML-N promised overseas Pakistanis to introduce special foreign currency bonds with returns higher than the ones offered by foreign commercial banks.
Curb brain drain
Sharif brothers led PMLN and also vowed to curb the brain drain by forming the ‘Pakistan Talent Bank’ to create opportunities for overseas Pakistanis on an MP-1 scale. The modalities and the details of the Pakistan Talen Bank have not been revealed in the manifesto.
It also vowed to establish the Pakistan Development Fund with a special quota for the Pakistani diaspora.
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A major reason between PMLN and PTI was about the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis and now PML-N promised to extend voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.
PMLN through the foreign ministry vowed to provide free legal assistance to overseas Pakistanis in jails and expedite prisoner exchange agreements to bring home Pakistani prisoners from foreign countries.
As per the manifesto, PMLN when it comes to power to extend educational opportunities to children of overseas Pakistanis through the addition and strengthening of Overseas Pakistani schools and admissions in higher education institutions in Pakistan along with strengthening community welfare mechanisms for overseas Pakistanis.
It is pertinent to note that last year, PML-N launched an online portal, inviting Pakistanis from both within the country and abroad to share their comments for its manifesto.
PMLN Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal launched the portal in a tweet while extending an invitation to professionals, experts, the diaspora, and citizens to contribute their suggestions and proposals on 32 themes.
