Ghazala Raheem
ISLAMABAD: Overseas Pakistanis Foundation is planning to start an Umrah scheme to facilitate overseas Pakistanis, says Nayyar Hasnain Haider, the managing director of the OPF.
In an interview with The Post, he said, "If an overseas Pakistani want to send any member of his family living in Pakistan to S Arabia to perform Umrah, he can do so by depositing the required amount in his own country, and the OPF will look after all further procedure."
He said the scheme would be started in January 2008. "We have offered extra facilities and added technology and services to suite needs of the pilgrims in the best possible way. Today, we are assisting them and trying to solve their problems in almost every aspect," he added.
He also told about another scheme Overseas Pakistanis Pension Trust established in 1996. OPF would contribute 100 million as seed money for this scheme, he added.
He said, "The overseas Pakistanis registered with OPF can subscribe to the pension scheme. Unregistered overseas Pakistanis can obtain membership by filling the OPF membership form and sending the prescribed fee of Rs 1,050 to OPF and become eligible to apply for the scheme.
"Each applicant has an option to decide how much he or she wants to contribute. Minimum contribution has been fixed at Rs 120,000 for Rs 1542 monthly pension after five years. There is no maximum limit of contribution. There are around 500 families who have been registered in the pension scheme. In case death of a person, the amount will be given to his heirs.
"OPF is also aimed to start process of joint ventures with private sectors to develop OPF housing schemes. The government of Punjab will allocate land near Chakri Road.
OPF has three core sectors education, housing and welfare in which it is working. Three OPF colleges are operating in twin cities while 20 public schools have been established in different provinces of Pakistan.
"The projects afoot are related to educational institutions are construction of OPF public school building, Sheikhupura, another in Hungu and a girls' college in Rawalpindi. Land for these buildings is available and construction work has been started. Lands have been purchased from Capital Development Authority and the Punjab and the NWFP governments.
"Within two months, OPF Girls College at F-8 will get status of a university offering different disciplines at Bachelor level.
OPF had also planned to offer fashion designing programme but couldn't accomplish it because of non-availability of staff in fashion designing."
About housing division, Nayyar Husnain said plots had been allotted to OPF members fourteen years ago but no developmental work or construction was started.
"I have just assumed the responsibility that is why I don't know the reason of delay."
He said financial assistance doubled from Rs 50,000 to Rs 100,000 to the destitute families this year. Rs 1.2 billion had been distributed among poor families of deceased and disabled overseas Pakistanis.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNewsT.aspx?dtlid=118178&catid=17
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