Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said the government was committed to provide maximum facilities to Pakistanis abroad and said rules and regulations were being worked out to give expatriates their right to vote for their participation in national politics.

Addressing the Pakistani community in Qatar, Gilani said his government always pursued options for employment of Pakistanis abroad to help them use their talent in order to raise their living standards.

He said the step would also earn precious foreign exchange for their country and help play key role in strengthening the national economy. He said the Pakistanis based in Qatar were sending huge foreign exchange to their homeland.

Gilani spoke at length about the political situation in the country. He said with the efforts of his government, the Constitution of 1973 had been restored which had the credit of keeping the country intact after the fall of Dhaka.

He said that democracy must go on in all circumstances.  “Whether I remain as prime minister or not, the parliament must complete its tenure.”

The Prime Minister reiterated that all state institutions should work within the ambit of Constitution, however he added that no unconstitutional move should be supported.
“If we work in accordance with the Constitution, there will be no clash among the institutions,” he said.
Gilani called for respecting the mandate of the public which they repose in the incumbent government through their votes.
He said, “We have not come into power through back door channels. We have sacrificed our days and nights in prison for the sake of democracy.”
On the issue of National Reconciliation Ordinance, the Prime Minister pointed that the architect of the Ordinance should be held accountable rather than accusing the beneficiaries.
“The NRO had been made for strong-hearted people while the pre-bargain is for those who compromise on their ideology,” he said.
Prime Minister Gilani said the government was facing several challenges at a time, including war on terrorism, electricity shortage, however expressed the commitment to resolve these.
On good note, he mentioned that Pakistan had now become a wheat-exporting country within few years.
Gilani expressed gratitude for Qatar’s Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Crown Prince Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani for providing best facilities to the Pakistani community residing in Qatar.
Prime Minister Gilani said on the demand of Pakistanis in Qatar, the government immediately started the facility of Machine Readable Passport and the online NADRA project to ease their travel.
Gilani assured that the government would provide all possible resources for the Pakistan Education Centre, that was currently operating on self help basis and to raise its education standards.
He invited expatriate Pakistanis to invest in various sectors in the country and help build its economy and ensure progress and prosperity of their homeland.
The prime minister said the government had successfully defeated dictatorship in the country after a long struggle and the sacrifice of its great leader Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
The Prime Minister said the basic objective of his visit to Qatar was to enhance cooperation in the sector of energy, increase Pakistan’s manpower export, cooperation in defence, education and agriculture, increase bilateral investments and exchange of delegations.
He said Pakistan and Qatar were bound in strong bonds of history and religion and added that increased interaction would further strengthen ties in all areas.
Gilani termed the expatriate Pakistanis as country’s ambassadors abroad and urged them to work hard with sincerity and devotion to build a good repute of their country. He asked them to strictly adhere to the rules and laws of the country of their abode.
He was also grateful to them for their help to their brethren in distress in the aftermath of worst ever floods and earthquake in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s ambassador to Qatar Muhammad Sarfraz Ahmed Khanzada apprised the gathering about various initiatives of the government for Pakistani expatriates.