- Sahabzada Jahangir says former CJ’s opinion on expats hurt sentiments abroad
- Says UK business delegation to invest in KP housing projects, education
Founding member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and senior advisor to party Chairman Imran Khan, Sahabzada Jahangir has lamented that overseas Pakistanis are not being treated as equal and in some sections, even being considered less-patriotic than their brethren in Pakistan.
Jahangir, who is a London-based British Pakistani, is proud of his long association with Imran Khan who launched the PTI in London from his residence. He assured that the PTI would take a lead to ensure equal rights to Pakistanis living abroad, who he said were an asset to the economy of Pakistan.
“Pakistanis living abroad are doing a great service for Pakistan. There are 7,000,000 of them, who all have earned a name for themselves as notable doctors, IT experts, engineers and teachers. And yet they are not treated as equals in Pakistan. It is disappointing that the former CJ considered expatriates less credible, and not worthy of public offices. This was a damaging statement that hurt millions of overseas expatriates,” Sahabzada said.
The PTI leader said his party was set to take a lead and bring a motion in the Parliament that would not only ensure the expatriates’ voting rights, but also give them a right to hold public offices, or become member parliament. He revealed that the party chairman will introduce the motion next week after taking other political parties sympathetic to the cause in the loop.
Sahabzada Jehangir has been chairman of Shaukat Khanum Hospital and has been instrumental in raising funds for the hospital and now for the university founded by Imran Khan in Mianwali. He is in Pakistan with a British business delegation keen to invest in Pakistan, particularly in KP.
“We have brought in investment worth 200 million dollars for KP. With this investment, a new city will be raised between KP and Islamabad. This project will generate huge employment opportunities besides providing low-cost housing units,” Jahangir revealed while giving the details of the new project.
He said under the school adaptation policy, over 500 schools in KPK will be adopted by British-Pakistanis this year and this would be a big boost for the education sector in the province.
He informed that during this visit, London PTI has also gifted Khan 20 ambulances, 20 fire-fighting engines and 200 computers.
On politics, he notified that oversees Pakistanis felt that future of the PTI was linked to the party’s performance in KPK.
“I have shared this concern with Khan and he has assured me that he would spend more time in KPK. He also served notices on all ministers that their performance would be reviewed every quarter and those with nothing to show would be shown the gates immediately”, said Jahangir.