The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) has submitted a proposal to the Pakistan government to make membership mandatory for all overseas Pakistanis, with a fee of Rs10,000 (around Dh130) for five years.

Syed Qamar Raza, chairman of OPF, told Khaleej Times, “I believe all overseas Pakistanis should compulsorily be members of the OPF. If they all become members, we can serve them better because we will have finances.”

He added that the proposal has been approved by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development and is awaiting final approval from the prime minister.

The OPF, a non-profit organisation addressing challenges faced by Pakistanis abroad, plans to introduce a range of facilities for the country’s diaspora.

The policy would affect over 12 million Pakistanis living in the UAE, Gulf countries, the Middle East, and other regions.

Overseas Pakistanis contribute significantly to the national economy through investments and remittances.

Following a record $38.3 billion in remittances in 2024–25, inflows are expected to reach a new high of $41–42 billion.

State Bank of Pakistan data showed that remittances grew 10.5 percent between July 2025 and February 2026, reaching $26.5 billion compared with $24 billion in the same period last year.

In February 2026 alone, Pakistan received $3.3 billion in remittances, led by the UAE ($696.2 million), Saudi Arabia ($685.5 million), the UK ($532 million), and the US ($319.5 million).

More than two million Pakistanis live and work across the UAE.

Syed Qamar Raza is travelling globally to assess diaspora challenges, having recently visited Germany, South Korea, and Japan.

During his UAE visit, he met community members, businessmen, and consulate officials, including Mian Munir Hans, Iqbal Dawood, and Syed Salem Akhter, to discuss issues faced by Pakistanis abroad.