Lahore, Multan and Islamabad – Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF), under the Skills Development & Entrepreneurship Department (SD&ED), Government of Punjab, organized a series of Overseas Employment Promoters (OEP) Engagement Sessions in Lahore, Multan, and Islamabad under the flagship Chief Minister’s Parwaaz Card Scheme – Maryam Nawaz Hunarmand Naujawan. The sessions aimed to strengthen collaboration with licensed Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs) and expand safe, legal, and dignified overseas employment opportunities for Punjab’s skilled workforce. 

The events were graced by Adnan Afzal Chattha, Chairperson, Chief Minister’s Taskforce for Skill Development, as Guest of Honour. Ahmed Khan, CEO, PSDF; Azka Munir, Head of Program Design, PSDF; along with senior representatives from the Skills Development & Entrepreneurship Department (SD&ED), and the Bank of Punjab (BOP) also participated. More than 75 licensed OEPs from districts including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Mardan, Quetta, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Lahore, Bahawalnagar, D G Khan, Layyah, Multan, Toba Tek Singh, Vehari, Okara and Rahim Yar Khan attended the events.  

PSDF presented a comprehensive overview of the Parwaaz Card Scheme, covering eligibility criteria, application procedures, verification mechanisms, financing arrangements, and the responsibilities of stakeholders involved in the program.  Discussions also focused on simplifying operational processes and strengthening coordination among PSDF, SD&ED, BOP, and licensed OEPs. 

“The Government of Punjab is ready to tap into international markets with growing demand for skilled manpower, from the GCC region to Malaysia and beyond. Skills development remains one of our highest priorities, and facilitating international employment opportunities is central to that vision. We encourage OEPs to expand ethical recruitment opportunities for our youth, and the Government will continue to facilitate this collaboration,” Stated Adnan Afzal Chattha

PSDF | Parwaaz Card Through the Parwaaz Card Scheme, PSDF, in collaboration with BOP aims to provide interest-free loans to 45,000 semi-skilled and skilled youth across Punjab, helping them cover pre-departure expenses, reducing financial barriers to international employment, once they have secured an overseas job offer letter. By reducing financial barriers to migration, the initiative will enable young people to pursue safe, legal, and dignified international employment opportunities across priority sectors, including construction, hospitality, and healthcare.

“We are streamlining processes across all stakeholders to make the overseas employment journey more efficient and transparent. Through close collaboration with licensed OEPs, we aim to ensure that international demand for skilled workers is met with a workforce trained to global standards.” Said Azka Munir, Head Program Design at PSDF.  

Each engagement concluded with an interactive question-and-answer segment led by Adnan Afzal Chattha and PSDF leadership, providing participants an opportunity to discuss operational challenges, international market demand, collaboration opportunities, and recommendations for strengthening Punjab’s overseas employment ecosystem. The discussions enabled meaningful dialogue between government and key implementation partners while reinforcing a shared commitment to expanding ethical overseas employment pathways. 

As the Parwaaz Card Scheme enters its implementation phase during the current fiscal year, these engagement sessions represent an important milestone in preparing the ecosystem for large-scale international workforce mobility. Through this initiative, the Government of Punjab aims to position the province as Pakistan’s leading source of internationally competitive skilled manpower, advancing the Chief Minister’s vision of economic transformation.