Addressing the first Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the expatriates for their unmatched contribution to nation-building.

A mega overseas convention will be held every April to recognise the important role of the 10 million diaspora spread across 160 countries.

In an article, ‘Rethinking the diaspora’s role’, analyst Durdana Najam wrote that the state, and its various departments, view overseas Pakistanis as critical stakeholders and are ready to reset the relationship based on terms that go beyond mere transactions.

When the country’s financial health is on the line, she said, mobilising one of the most resourceful segments of Pakistanis makes strategic sense.

The growth in remittances has far outpaced the trade deficit during this fiscal year, which underlines the critical support these flows are providing to the current account.

With foreign investment having bottomed, analysts argue that remittances should be channelled into productive sectors to boost output and exports

Pakistan’s real effective exchange rate, which gauges the currency’s value against a basket of foreign currencies adjusted for inflation, improved to 101.62 in March 2025 from a revised 102.25 in February, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan on April........

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