LONDON: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has appointed PMLN-UK President Zubair Gull as PM’s Coordinator/Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis to help resolve the issues faced by overseas Pakistanis.

Zubair Gull was appointed commissioner overseas Pakistanis in April 2015 but the newly created office was not empowered and Zubair Gull ended up facing several bureaucratic hitches. Now, the PM of Pakistan has personally intervened and given powers and office to Zubair Gull to deal with the issues overseas Pakistanis face.

The latest notification, issued on 27th of February, confirms the “Establishment of a Federal Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis” notifying the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development stating that “designation of Mr Zubair Gull,, mentioned in para 9 of the summary shall be read as Commissioner/PM's Coordinator for Overseas Pakistanis”.

Zubair Gull said in a statement that he was thankful to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for appointing him as a Federal Commissioner & Coordinator to Prime minister for Overseas Pakistanis. “My role would be to work in the very best interest of overseas Pakistanis and liaise with all governments departments to speed up any outstanding issues concerning overseas Pakistanis. I want to assure my all overseas Pakistani brothers and sisters that every effort will be made to ensure that issues of overseas Pakistanis are dealt with on the priority basis.”

Zubair Gull said overseas Pakistanis have always stood for democracy and accountability in Pakistan. He said when Nawaz Sharif was sent into exile by dictator Pervez Musharraf, Pakistanis living overseas stood by Nawaz Sharif and campaigned for the restoration of democracy and succeeded.

“PM Nawaz Sharif attaches high importance to the contribution of overseas Pakistanis and wants to facilitate them at all levels by listening to their issues and addressing the problems. Under the current government, the feedback of overseas Pakistanis is very good because under the leadership of PM Nawaz Sharif every effort has been made to deal with the problems of overseas Pakistanis.

“In Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif has done a brilliant job in dealing with the problems of overseas Pakistanis. Empowerment of the office of overseas Pakistanis at the Federal level will help the cause of Nawaz Sharif further and overseas Pakistanis,” said Zubair Gull.

When Pervez Musharraf imposed martial law in Pakistan, Zubar Gull had spearheaded campaign against him in London and has been at the forefront of movement for the restoration of democracy.