ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed gratitude to overseas Pakistanis for sending record remittances in December 2025, saying their contribution reflects strong confidence in the country’s economic direction.
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In a statement, the prime minister said overseas Pakistanis remitted $3.6 billion in December 2025, marking a 16.5 per cent increase compared to the same month last year. He termed the surge a clear manifestation of expatriates’ trust in the government’s economic policies and their commitment to Pakistan’s economic stability.
Appreciating their role, PM Shehbaz said overseas Pakistanis had rejected negative propaganda and continued to support national development through sustained financial inflows. “Overseas Pakistanis are our valuable asset, and the entire nation, including myself, takes pride in them,” he said, reaffirming that their welfare and facilitation remain a top government priority.
Separately, the prime minister met the parents of late IT prodigy Arfa Karim Randhawa — Samina Amjad and Amjad Karim Randhawa — along with Arfa Karim Foundation Chief Executive Tabinda Islam.
Paying rich tribute to Arfa Karim, PM Shehbaz lauded her exceptional contribution to the IT sector at a young age and for bringing international recognition to Pakistan. He noted that the IT Tower in Lahore has been named Arfa Karim Tower in her honour.
The prime minister said providing internationally competitive IT education and training to Pakistani youth is among the government’s top priorities. He added that the government is working round-the-clock to transform Pakistan into a regional IT hub, with special focus on youth training, entrepreneurship, and continued initiatives such as the laptop distribution programme for high-performing students.
Terming the establishment of the Arfa Karim Foundation a positive step for the promotion of the IT sector, PM Shehbaz assured full government support to the foundation. The parents of the late Arfa Karim appreciated the government’s efforts to develop the IT sector in the country.
