INSIGHT: Class of 2023

We suggest Class of 2023 should offer OPs ‘social security’, ‘unemployment coverage’, etc. while continuing to entice them to invest back home — and with meaningful incentives of course — as practiced world over.

“Class of ‘XXXX’” refers to the year a batch of students is expected to graduate. ‘Class of 2023,’ is the year the incumbent government is expected to graduate as per Project Democracy.

Earlier, two Classes graduated: Class of 2018 (led by PML-N) and Class of 2013 (led by Pakistan Peoples Party).

Good for the 10m overseas Pakistanis who wish to see continuity continue at home, as much as they continue to remit almost $20 billion a year — as they have been during by and large the last 10 years: $200 billion give and take in terms of order of magnitude– and despite some forecast gurus’ predictions.

That did not happen trendwise.

Expats’ remittances have remained on top of the ‘food chain’, and therefore has remained to add maximum weightage in the much needed ‘predictably & control’ (P&C) process that we woefully need — just as Project Democracy (PD) does.

We call remittances (R) the most important and therefore the major element of P&C.

Adding to R in P&C is the regular cycle of sum of ALL monthly tax deductions the State collects, such as: the salaried BUT tax-paying community of federal and provincial government officials (bureaucrats); the military; the judiciary; the educational institutions; the employees of multinationals, of banks, etc., etc.

The difference between the sum of all of the above and the revenue needed for the State and the Government to operate has been the delta which successive governments and the present PTI-led government jostles to fill by ‘loan packages’ and indirect taxes — much to the chagrin of these communities — others notwithstanding who seek relief.

What relief or benefits the Class of 2023 can and should provide to the huge community of OPs for maintaining R other than the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) selling them ‘land/housing, and offering them admissions in schools?

We suggest Class of 2023 should offer OPs ‘social security’, ‘unemployment coverage’, etc. while continuing to entice them to invest back home — and with meaningful incentives of course — as practiced world over.

And since the silent chatter among OPs for reserve seats in the Senate and the Assemblies is a hot potato to handle by those who want to rule, we shall stay mum on this matter.

Hopefully the Class of 2023 shall attempt to seek bipartisan bonhomie on the above. If successful w shall have a huge Class of 2023 (OPs, All Parties, PTI-Govt, State, etc.) graduating from the Project Democracy university.