OPF was established under the Emigration Ordinance, 1979.It was registered on 8^thJuly, 1979 as Not for Profit Company under the Companies Act, 1913 (now Companies Act, 2017, Section-42). It is a public sector company to be governed under Public Sector Companies (Corporate Governance) Rules, 2013 of Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The Board of Governors is supreme body and all operations of OPF are managed under overall control of the Board and policy directions from Govt.

OPF SERVICES

1. COMPLAINT CELL

There are approximately 9 million Overseas Pakistanis living around the globe. The issues/problems of overseas Pakistanis working abroad vary from country to country. However, mostly the problems are work related in Middle Eastern/Gulf countries. In order to resolve the complaints of overseas Pakistanis; OPF Complaint Cell was established in June, 2001. The complaints are received through the following sources:

1.  Prime Minister’s Office
2.  Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & HRD
3.  Pak Missions Abroad
4.  OPs Grievance Cell Supreme Court of Pakistan
5.  Directly from the OPs through post, e-mail, fax, Online Complaints Management System and personal visits.

ELIGIBILITY

• OPF registered members are eligible for services offered by OPF.
• Overseas Pakistanis who are not registered can obtain membership

PROCEDURE

Overseas Pakistanis are advised to submit their complaints with complete details and documentary proof as per area of jurisdiction pertaining to their complaints for early resolution of grievances to minimize time gap before initial action.

2. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

OPF had introduced Financial Aid Scheme in 1980-81 to provide financial assistance to the destitute families of Overseas Pakistanis in the event of death or disability of Overseas Pakistanis, while working abroad or a period of three years from the permanent return to Pakistan. Deceased and Disabled overseas Pakistani should be a registered member of OPF. This is one-time non-refundable grant aimed to help the bereaved family to overcome their initial financial problems soon after the demise or disability of their earning members. Presently, OPF provides an amount of Rs. 400,000/- to the families of deceased Overseas Pakistanis and Rs. 300,000/- to disabled applicants.

Eligibility

The deceased and disabled Overseas Pakistani should be a registered member of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation. Following valid documents are required to check the eligibility criteria of applicants: -

• OPF Membership Card (Voluntary and Compulsory)
• Pakistani gets himself protected by the Protector of Emigrants by depositing Welfare Fund for employment abroad. Page of Passport where stamp and signature of the Protector of Emigrants are affixed will be considered as evidence for OPF Membership.
• Insurance Certificate issued by the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan duly attested by the Protector of Emigrants with Registration Number, date and Stamp should be acceptable as OPF Membership.
• If an intending Overseas Pakistani gets himself protected by the Protector of Emigrants and deposits Welfare Fund for employment abroad but dies in Pakistan prior to his departure abroad; his/her family or dependents are also entitled to avail the facility of financial aid.
• Cases of those registered overseas Pakistanis will be considered for grant of financial aid who died/became disabled while working abroad or within three years from the date of their return to Pakistan. The death/disability applications should be filed within the period of three years as per criteria given below.

1. In case of death/disability abroad, three years’ period will be considered from the date of mishap.
2. In case of death/disability within Pakistan, three years’ period will start from the date of return to Pakistan.

In-Eligibility

• Cases received after the period of three years from the date of death or disability or from the date of permanent return to Pakistan.
• Tempered documents and incorrect information.
• Photocopy of prescribed application form is used.
• The following dependents of the deceased Overseas Pakistanis are in-eligible for grant of OPF Financial Aid.
• Re-Married Widow after the death of the deceased, at the time of receipt of payment.
• Adult Children. (Over 18 Years).
• Brother and Sisters of the deceased.
• Financially Sound Dependents. (Widow, Minors and Parents).
• If both husband and wife are OPF members only one time financial aid will be granted to the family, in case of death/disability of both the members.
• Partial disability or invisible disability.
• If parents of deceased are un-able to provide the concrete documentary evidence regarding the whereabouts/address/contact number or re-married status of the widow who initially applied for Financial Aid and the widow does not contact OPF for Six months for collection of Financial Aid then the granted amount /cheque issued will be cancelled after a period of six months with the approval of the Managing Director and said amount will be granted to other deserving applicant.

HOW TO APPLY

Issuance of Prescribed Application Form

• Applicant should proceed to the OPF Head Office Islamabad or nearest Regional Office along with original Passport(s) of deceased, Death Certificate issued by host country and CNIC’s of deceased and applicant.
• An application form will be issued on provision of these documents.

Requisite Documents

• Prescribed Application Form filled in all columns along with latest color passport size photograph duly attested.
• Photo copies of OPF Membership Card, or page of passport where stamp of Protector of Immigrant affixed or Insurance Certificate issued by the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan with number and stamp of Protector of Emigrants, Government of Pakistan.
• Photo copies of all passports of the deceased.
• Photocopies of CNIC/NICOP of deceased.
• Photocopies of CNIC of applicant (s).
• Photo copy of `B` Form of Minor and CNIC`s of adult dependents of deceased/applicant (s).
• Affidavit on stamp paper for monthly income of the applicant/family. (Duly signed by two witnesses and attested by Notary Public).
• Affidavit from widow regarding number of widows of deceased and that she has not re-married. (Duly signed by two witnesses and attested by Notary Public).
• Affidavit from parents regarding marital status of the deceased in case he/she is un-married. (Duly signed by two witnesses and attested by Notary Public/Oath Commissioner).
• Affidavit from the parents of deceased if their daughter-in-Law (widow) has re-married. (Duly signed by two witnesses and attested by Notary Public/Oath Commissioner).
• Death certificates issued by the host Country or Union Council/ Provincial Government.
• The concerned Specialist Doctor from a Government Hospital/ Institute clearly identifying the nature and level of present disability as well as improvement possibility in future.
• Disability Certificate from the Government of the Host Country will also be acceptable.
• At least two colored photograph (Post Card Size) showing the visible disability of the applicant.

Attestation of Documents

• All documents should be attested by the Gazetted Officers/Secretary Union Council/Lumberdar.
• Affidavits should be attested by Oath Commissioner/Notary Public.

Submission of Prescribed Application Form:

• Form filled in all respects along with the requisite documents duly attested should be submitted to the OPF Head Office (For residents of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal) or concerned Regional Office (Lahore, Multan, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Mirpur AJK).

3. AIRPORT FACILITATION

One Window Facilitation Desks (OWFDs)

OPF One Window Facilitation Desks (OWFDs) established at all International Airports in Pakistan. OWFDs are located at each terminal (International arrival/departure) for the assistance of overseas Pakistani passenger’s round the clock.

Functions of OWFDs

• Necessary assistance to the overseas Pakistanis at the time of arrival and departure.
• Coordination among the various agencies/departments functioning at the airport to ensure smooth arrival and departure of overseas Pakistani passengers.
• Special assistance to overseas Pakistanis who are physically challenged, senior citizen and passengers not maintaining good health.
• Assistance in lost and found baggage and for improvement in services/complaints at airports, these counters are contacted.
• Necessary guidance is also provided to overseas Pakistanis for their connecting flights and travel advisory for their destinations within Pakistan.
• Information material about OPF and its projects/schemes at all international arrival/departure lounges.
• OPF also extends all possible help and provides facility of ambulance service, free of cost, from airport to deceased/ disabled OPs native town/ village. OPF staff deputed at airports facilitates deceased’s family in clearance of human remains and coordinates with ambulance for its timely transportation.
• OPF Airport Facilitation counters remain vigilant to any repatriation of overseas Pakistanis from abroad and extends every possible assistance for their onward journey to their home towns

Airport Counters

4. HOUSING SCHEME

Housing Projects

To cater to the housing need of Overseas Pakistanis and to provide them residential facilities, OPF has planned and established a number of housing schemes in different cities of the Pakistan. Thousands of plots created in these schemes were allotted to Overseas Pakistanis. These schemes are located at the prime locations in the cities of Islamabad, Lahore, Gujrat, Peshawar, Dadu, Larkana and Mirpur (AJK).

5. AMBULANCE SERVICE

OPF provides free ambulance service for transportation of the dead bodies of overseas Pakistanis from all international airports of Pakistan to their native towns. The transportation of dead body of an overseas Pakistani is usually the contractual obligation of the employer or the company where an individual is employed. If the employer refuses to bear the cost of transportation of dead body and the family's financial position is not good, then concerned Pakistan Mission abroad use to undertake the responsibility to transport the dead bodies. PIA transport dead bodies of Overseas Pakistanis free of cost from where it is operating as a result of efforts of OPF.

Procedure

• The legal heirs may authorize a person of their confidence in that particular country to pursue the transportation of dead body case by executing an Attorney.
  The attorneys obtain NOC from Consulate / Embassy.
• The following information is required by OPF for transportation of dead bodies.
• Flight No.
• Date of departure.
• Time of arrival.
• Contact number of person in Pakistan who coordinates with OPF officials.
• Complete Address of deceased of native town.
• OPF Contact number UAN-111-040-040

6. EDUCATION

Under the Emigration Rules made under Emigration Ordinance 1979, Articles of Association, and Memorandum of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, OPF Education Division is vested with the following responsibilities

• Giving of scholarships, stipends or grants to the children of the emigrants for studies in the field of science, technology, art and management in Pakistan and abroad.
• Establishment and management of educational institutions in Pakistan in which the children of the emigrants are to study.

Director General (Education) is the head of Education Division, who is responsible for all affairs and activities of the Division, and reports to the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, the Managing Director.

Admission Policy

• Children of Overseas Pakistanis have the first right to admission in OPF Educational Institutions with 50% concession in tuition fee (upto 2 children).
• Children of general public are also eligible for admission under the prevailing policy purely on merit.
• Registration for admission in pre-nursery to 9th class starts from January till April, every year.
• Admissions to 1st Year (Intermediate) class, start after the announcement of results of Matriculation Examination by respective Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education, Islamabad.
• Admissions to 3rd Year (Graduation) class, start after the announcement of results of Intermediate Examination by respective Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education, Islamabad.
• O Level and A Level admissions take place in the month of August / September every year.

7. FOREIGN EMPLOYMENT DUES/COMPENSATION

Recovery of Dues/Compensation

Nature of Dues

The Dues Section deals for recovery of outstanding end services benefits of repatriated and expired Pakistani workers, who have served abroad under legal and lawful status. It includes salary, gratuity, death compensation, blood money, business assets and insurance claims. The death means natural, unnatural i.e.  Murder and traffic accident etc. 

Procedure

The applicant or legal heirs provide complete documents to OPF necessary to prove the claim, which are processed with concerned Pak Mission. The Missions further take up such cases with concerned quarters for realization of claims.

Requirements

The following documents are required along with nature of application to initiate dues and compensation cases with employers through Pakistani Missions abroad.

• Copy of Passport showing legal status of Overseas Pakistanis
• Copy of Foreign Service agreement
• Copies of CNIC / NICOP / POC
• Copy of Aqama (Residential permit)
• Copy of Insurance Card
• Copies of death / disability certificate (in case of death / disability of an OPs)
• Embalming Certificate
• Police Report / postmortem report (in case of murder)
• NOC issued by Pakistani Mission
• Details of Bank accounts
• Court Order, if any
• Names of legal heirs
• Supporting documents of unpaid dues

8. VOCATIONAL TRAINING

As per Memorandum and Article of Association, OPF was “to establish, maintain or aid vocational training institutions for providing training in such trades as are in demand overseas”. Accordingly, OPF established Training Division in 1980. Since its inception, OPF Training Division have trained 60,000 persons in various training centers of OPF as well as through public/private partnership in various trades such as Earth Moving / Construction Machinery, Electrician, Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning, Tracer, Civil Draftsman, Quantity Surveyor, Electronics / TV Mechanic, Carpenter, Mason, Plumber, Welder / steel Fixer trades and IT skills. However, OPF Vocational Training Program was discontinued on the advice of BOG in its 102^nd meeting held on 16-10-2006. Accordingly, all Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) were closed.

9. FOREIGN EXCHANGE REMITTANCE CARD

Introduction to FERC:

Remittances by Overseas Pakistanis, through normal banking channels, are a vital source of balance of payments support for the country. Funds channeled through Hundi or other means bypass legal conduits and deprive the country of much needed support. Cognizant of the problem of diminishing home remittances the government has initiated concerted program to facilitate those Overseas Pakistanis who remit money through normal banking channels. Towards this end, a special package of Foreign Exchange Remittance Card (FERC) has been introduced by the Ministry of Finance in September 2001 to facilitate the overseas Pakistanis community. OPF has been nominated as the implementation authority.