ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis on Monday directed the Foreign Office to get the pictures of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in different embassies abroad replaced with that of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

MNA Shagufta Jumani of the PPP while chairing the committee meeting said an advertisement by the Pakistani embassy in Oman had been published in an Omani newspaper on the Independence Day in which Ambassador retired Capt Ali Javed was shown standing in the embassy.

The pictures of President Mamnoon Hussain and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif could be seen in the background. But there is not portrait of the Quaid.

`The advenisement went viral and took flak from people on the social media,` she said.

`I have learnt that the ambassador has displayed the picture of former premier who has been disqualified by the Supreme Court, she said.

`This committee recommends to the Foreign Office to send directions to all embassies across the globe to display only the pictures of Quaid-i-Azam,` she said.

Other members of the committee, including Sardar Kamal Khan Bangulzai, Suraiya Jatoi, Ms Aisha and Aliya Kamran also agreed with the suggestion and directed the FO to take necessary steps in this regard.

Nicop condition The committee directed Nadra not to make National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop) mandatory for expatriates working in the Middle East and other neighbouring countries.

Ms Kamran of the JUI-F said Pakistanis should not be forced to get Nicop.

Ms Aisha also said Nicop should only be necessary for the Pakistanis living in the European countries as it was useless for those living in the Middle East.

Director General Nadra retired Brig Nisar Ahmed said Nicops were issued to those who had the Pakistani or dual nationalities.

`Pakistan Origin Cards are issued to those who surrender their nationality while emigrating to other countries. Those possessing POC can easily come to Pakistan without getting a visa,` he said.

He said parliament had to legislate if it wanted to relax the condition of Nicop for the Pakistanis in Middle East and Saudi Arabia.

He informed the committee that the interior ministry was already working on a bill.