ISLAMABAD, May 24: The PML-N leadership is considering policy initiatives to gain maximum economic benefit from remittances sent by Pakistanis living abroad, according to sources.

The party is also working on a plan to offer people a 100-day relief package relating to electricity and economic crises.

A party leader in Lahore told Dawn that PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif was recently briefed by former senator Enver Baig about the concerns of expatriates and their potential to help the party’s incoming government to increase revenue.

Mr Baig said sending skilled labour to Gulf countries and facilitating the expatriates could help the country to increase its remittances from $13 billion to around $23bn.

“Most of the expatriates are based in Saudi Arabia (1.6 million), UAE (1.3m), Oman (277,131), Kuwait (93,345), Bahrain (80,166), Qatar (71,874), USA (131,589), Canada (90,148), Italy (55,000) and Greece (56,495), according to the data of the National Database and Registration Authority,” said the leader. When contacted, Mr Baig, who has expertise in managing human resources for international labour market, claimed that the PML-N was planning to send over 600,000 skilled labourers to Gulf states.

He described electricity shortfall and economic crunch as major problems faced by the country and said foreign remittance could help the country to overcome the economic crisis.

“We will gradually increase foreign remittances by sending more skilled workers to the Gulf countries, said Mr Baig, a member of the central executive committee of the PML-N. He said around 600,000 skilled labourers had gone to Gulf states in 2012 and added that the party planned to double the figure by the start of next year.”

“We can meet the target of increasing foreign remittances up to $23bn which will boost Pakistan’s economy in the long run,” he said.

He claimed that the PML-N had decided in principle to upgrade and strengthen Pakistan embassy schools in the Gulf countries, launch large-scale housing schemes through the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation which had been delayed because of red tape and financial embezzlements and resolve property disputes involving overseas Pakistanis by providing them legal cover through embassies.

But economist Kaiser Bengali said remittances were sent by private individuals and “one can not force them to send more.” Besides, he said, it (remittances) was black money coming to Pakistan.

He said the Middle Eastern countries were facing recession because of a slump in US and European economies. “So how Pakistani remittances will go up with time? Is it strange (to believe) that overseas Pakistanis are getting prosperous despite recession?”

He said sending skilled labour abroad was not a solution instead the PML-N should focus on industrialisation to provide jobs to millions of unemployed workers.

He said the PML-N must have come to an understanding with Gulf countries about sending skilled labour there because otherwise it was a difficult task.