Govt should arrest fall in workers remittances: PEW

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The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Thursday said the government should take steps to contain further contraction in the critical sector of workers remittances which is as important as exports.
Remittances have fallen by four percent in the last year, therefore, steps are needed to arrest the trend in the national interest, it said.
Concerned ministry, departments and law enforcing agencies should not discourage people involved in sending labour abroad as they are playing important role in keeping forex reserves stable, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.
He said that Private sector has to invest around fifteen billion dollars as input costs to realise exports of twenty billion dollars but expats spend their own money to go abroad send money without any involvement of the government.

Every year government spends a hefty amount to boost exports which is wasted by incompetent bureaucracy while there is no investment in sending workers abroad, he added.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that expats and those who send them abroad are assets but they are not given due attention rather they are milked and harassed by different agencies including the FIA.
He said that there is a dearth of good officials in the ministry of overseas Pakistanis and other concerned departments and they remain unconcerned about the plight of workers and overseas employment promoters.
The government should chalk out a plan to train manpower which will give a boost to remittances while the appointment of non-professional officials as labour and community welfare attachés in other countries should be abandoned in the national interest.

In: UncategorizedAuthor: host