Pakistani expatriates may be required to register with the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation if the proposal is approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) has submitted a proposal to the Pakistan government to make membership mandatory, with a fee of Rs10,000 (approximately Dh130).
“I believe all overseas Pakistanis should be compulsory members of the OPF. If everyone joins, we can serve them better because it will provide the Foundation with the necessary resources,” said Syed Qamar Raza, Chairman of OPF.
“We have received approval for the proposal from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development. It now awaits approval from the Prime Minister. The fee is Rs10,000 for five years, which is quite nominal,” he said.
Raza highlighted that the foundation, a non-profit organization established to support Pakistanis living abroad, is planning to introduce a range of services and facilities for the country’s diaspora.
This initiative will affect over 12 million overseas Pakistanis living in the UAE, Gulf countries, the Middle East, and other regions worldwide.
Overseas Pakistanis play a vital role in the country’s economy, contributing billions of dollars in investments and remittances. After a record $38.3 billion in remittances in 2024–25, inflows are expected to reach a new high of $41–42 billion.
According to State Bank of Pakistan data, workers’ remittances grew 10.5% between July 2025 and February 2026, reaching $26.5 billion compared with $24 billion during the same period last year. In February 2026 alone, Pakistan received $3.3 billion in remittances, up 5.2% year-on-year, with the largest contributions coming from the UAE ($696.2 million), Saudi Arabia ($685.5 million), the UK ($532 million), and the US ($319.5 million).
Within the UAE, more than two million Pakistanis live and work across various sectors, playing an integral role in both local and national economies.
Syed Qamar Raza is currently touring several countries to assess the challenges faced by Pakistan’s diaspora.
He recently visited Germany, South Korea, and Japan, where he met with senior officials and members of the Pakistani community.
During his visit to the UAE, he engaged with community members and business leaders, including Mian Munir Hans, Iqbal Dawood, Syed Salem Akhter, as well as consulate officials on Monday, where he was briefed on the issues affecting the local Pakistani community.
