National Assembly Orders New Protector Offices, Full Digital Integration for Overseas Job-Seekers
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has instructed government ministries to open new Protector Offices for overseas job-visa holders within the current financial year. The committee emphasized that delays due to budget or staffing constraints would not be accepted.
Chaired by Syed Rafiullah, the committee reviewed earlier directives and received progress reports from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, the FIA, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The committee also pushed for complete digital integration of protector services with NADRA and other government systems to strengthen identity verification and reduce the influence of middlemen and unauthorized agents.
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Officials briefed the committee that approvals for establishing new Protector Offices were in progress but faced financial limitations. The committee rejected these justifications and ordered ministries to ensure the offices become fully operational before the end of the year.
Members further called for speeding up the rollout of the E-Protector system, which has already seen around 60,000 users. The committee urged ministries to expand public awareness through SMS alerts, social media campaigns, and local outreach so emigrants can use the service more independently.
To enhance transparency, the committee demanded stronger accountability measures, including online service tracking, verified payment receipts, and an active complaint-handling system. It also reiterated that all protector-related fees must be routed through formal banking channels and approved digital payment platforms to ensure complete traceability and eliminate fraud.
