PR No. 124 CAREEM TO FACILITATE EXPATS – ZULFIKAR BUKHARI Islamabad: January 21, 2019

Junaid Iqbal, CEO Careem Pakistan, called on Zulfikar Bukhari, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development to discuss the ever-growing online market place, facilitation of Pakistani expatriates and the role of government to regularize e-business. Both discussed the facilitation of Pakistani Expatriates in and outside Pakistan. The creation of a mechanism was agreed upon to facilitate expats that are OPF Card Holders. Zulfikar Bukhari said that Careem should give discounts to expats when they use its services in Pakistan. He also said that the labor force coming back to Pakistan may also be trained and employed by Careem. The online payment system for remittances was also the agenda of the meeting. CEO Careem Pakistan proposed a new online payment system for remittance where the expats can optionally invest their money in products and get a market compatible rate of return. He showed his commitment to facilitate expats in Pakistan in all domains. He informed SAPM that 80% captains of Careem in Dubai have Pakistani origins. In Saudi Arabia, 8% of the limo drivers are Pakistanis who bring 20% of the rides to Careem, he said. Junaid Iqbal also briefed SAPM on the operations of Careem and how it has faced problems in the domain of tax, route permits and licensing. Zulfikar Bukhari said that the regulations to handle e-commerce in Pakistan are not at par. There is a need felt to regularize online businesses and the government is working on the subject. Junaid Iqbal apprised SAPM of the new ventures that Careem Pakistan is working on in order to create more jobs for Pakistanis. He also said that Careem Pakistan has embraced a different approach with regard to its dealing with the government. Careem prefers collaboration with the government in order to be a productive employer and a tax contributor, he said. In this regard, e-laws to regulate all forms of online business are the need of time. Both discussed the new opportunities that the online marketplace can offer in the form of job creation. The online marketplace will result in two million shops by 2023 and business at such level will need to be regulated. Zulfikar Bukhari said that the online business needs to be registered as an industry where regulations of the government are applicable. Women are increasingly participating in online businesses and this can give them the opportunity to create more products and services which eventually will benefit the economy as whole. *********

PREVIOUS NEXT