On the internet edition date lined from Bahrain 22nd October 2000 a news item has appeared Indian Airlines (IA) representative saying that IA has decided to transport dead bodies of Indians working abroad free of cost. Indian and Philippines governments are doing a real practical job for its work force abroad and perhaps this is the reason when last year Nawaz Sharif government despite its touring teams on huge expense of already economically crippled country could not get substantial from Overseas Pakistanis at time of Kargil Crisis indians working abroad contributed 9 times more than targeted by indian government. For one example each:
i. While indians have introduced a too wonderful insurance scheme for its workforce abroad which on a very nominal additional premium also covers family members for medical expenses, in our case there the Overseas Pakistanis Insurance (to cover death and disability only) existing and running since 20 years every two years merely by mail renewal application/request, has during the tenure of Chief Executive of Pakistan been changed by the bureaucracy making a new condition “come personally to Pakistan to pay Rs. 500/- premium by spending Rs. 30,000 from middle east and Rs. 100,000 from europe on travel expenses to get the insurance renewed”.
{During the last 3 years continuous appeals have been made even through so-called OPF Islamabad Conventions of 1997 and 1999 to consider enhancing the insurance of overseas Pakistanis on the pattern of indians but both State life, so-called Overseas Pakistanis welfare body called OPF and Bureau of Emigrants have shown total lethargy and tight lips]. Yes, of course both SLIC and Bureau for sin of making such a proposal has penalised by refusing to renew the extend policy advising come to Pakistan and get it renewed.
ii. While our airline PIA started a discrimination since 1998 never ever heard of before between wife and husband passenger in case of entitlement of personal baggage weight allowance, Air India allowed children of indians to carry their school bags free of cost.
iii. The day Ejaz Ul Haq was in middle east to seek donations towards failed “Qaraz Uttaro Scheme” the Philippines president was coming to middle east bringing with him keys of some houses his government built for its hoemless nationals working abroad.
[An illiterate pathan brother during Ejazul Haq's speech seeking donations raised a very logical question "your government said it had recovered 7 munds of gold allegedly from Asif Zardari, why do not you sell that and re-pay the loans". Ijazul Haq's reply was hanky phanky to the audience.
iv. Any many more examples.
Some 5 years back an ethnic community in Dubai threatened to boycott PIA in case three demands were not meant one of which was free transportation of dead bodies of their community. It was a genune demand but not on the cost of threating of boycott. This boycott threat of a country’s nationals on a foreign soil was perhaps the first ever in history. PIA which should had more trusted on its quality of service, which being a frequent travller I know in fact is to international standards, bowed down to this threat and accepted this demand. The result was this community encouraged again in 1999 extended another boycott threat for some other demand. A few Overseas Pakistanis from different countries jointly made a petition before Federal Ombudsman that giving facility on basis of one’s place of residence, colour or language was discriminatory and against Constitution of Pakistan. He was requested that this scheme in fact should not have in the first place been implemented in its present design or alternatively it should be implemented to all Overseas Pakistanis irrespective of their country of working BUT same should be linked and made conditional that only those can avail this facility who (i) maintain their accounts in Pakistani banks abroad (ii) send remittances through legal banking channels (iii) always travel by national airline (iv) hold State Life Emigrants Policy and (v) are members of OPF. Ombudsman decision was “complainants if want this facility they should had come to attend my office in islamabad or engage any advocate”. What a decision from an institution established for cheap justice for ordinary common man.
Right from senators to PMs, Conventions and to so-called welfare body Overseas Pakistanis Foundation established by the Government and on whose disposal a huge amounts of OPs membership contributions is, the organisation in which there is no “retunree Overseas Pakistanis” thus proving government and OPF only talks about “skills and experience” of OPs which is evident from the fact in OPF where there is an army of staff there are no accountants, nurses, drivers, typists, technicians etc who had been OPs and have returned back from abroad, matter was raised but of no use. In 1999 Islamabad convention the then Minister for Overseas Pakistanis lied (based on bureaucracy report submitted to him) that all resolutions passed in 1997 convention have been implemented one of which was transportation of dead bodies.
What a strange it is a person merely due to fact he holds beloved Pakistani passports gets entitled on expense of national exchequer for transportation of dead body may be he during his life time always used Hundi, used foreign airlines, patronised smuggling, had been a Pipiyan or Leaguer but not a Pakistani, but he is entitled for this facility. No one at any level considered suggestion that this may be linked with above conditions so if an OP wants something from the country on the other hand he should also give something in shape of legal remittances, travel by PIA etc so both country and national airline would also benefit.
But there is no room of hearing any good coming from a common man. I struggled for 3/4 years, addressed each PIA MD, each PM, senators, MNAs, so called mouth opening Ministers but never got any response.
S.A.J
[email protected]
26 October 2000
[This message has been edited by S.A.J (edited October 26, 2000).]