ISLAMABAD, July 13: Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Division Raza Hayat Hiraj on Thursday disclosed that a land scam concerning OPF Housing Scheme in the capital had been sent to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for detailed investigation.

Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis about the role, work and performance of Overseas Pakistanis Division, he said the land for the project was purchased in 1994 at a price three to four times higher than the market rate.

The minister of state admitted that none of the OPF housing schemes proved to be successful. He said the Overseas Pakistanis Investment Conference was likely to be convened in December, with a purpose to encourage the Pakistani expatriates to invest in Pakistan.

He said the conference would identify and highlight the areas of interest for Overseas Pakistanis for investment in the country.

The committee was told that the OPF, in collaboration with Board of Investment was trying to arrange one-window facility for overseas Pakistanis to invest in the country. He called upon members of the committee to give viable proposals aimed at achieving the desired objectives.

The committee was told that there were 19 posts of regular Community Welfare Attaches (CWAs) out of which 15 CWAs had been selected and posted in Pakistani missions abroad.

The CWAs were supposed to interact with the Overseas Pakistanis to resolve their genuine grievances.

The CWAs had also been assigned to identify manpower-related opportunities to facilitate the export of Pakistani manpower and to motivate Pakistani community to send remittances through normal banking channels.