Assets not liabilities

A few days ago, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated in a nationally televised programme that Pakistanis should not be allowed to have dual nationalities. The minister opined that the facility to hold dual nationality, otherwise allowed by Pakistani laws, must be withdrawn and in case Pakistanis settled abroad would like to associate themselves with the country of their origin then they could only carry an identity card (NICOP) especially crafted for them. He said if these “foreign nationals” have invested in the real-estate sector or have business partnerships in Pakistan, then their investments must be treated at par with those made by non-Pakistani foreigners.

It was not difficult for those who had watched the whole programme to construe that the federal minister was obviously perturbed by some recent events where a handful of overseas Pakistanis have misbehaved with or maltreated the leading members of the ruling party or a retired judge of the Supreme Court during their private visits to some European capitals. There is no information if the rowdy Pakistanis involved in such incidents were actually dual nationals.

Khawaja Asif also said that those who have opted to abandon Pakistan for financial gains abroad should not be allowed to defame the country.

However, they were not defaming the country. Politicians are often known for putting their feet in their mouths - making remarks that are outright intolerant, insensitive, imprudent and inappropriate. Many realise the mistake when confronted, apologise and retract. Others opt to remain stubborn and stick to their faux pride and bloated egos.

As an overseas Pakistani and a dual national, I am fully cognizant of the debate generated in Pakistan in the last few years when courts and public servants were busy scoring points on the issue of dual nationality. Elected members of the parliaments were stripped of their offices and bureaucrats were made to renounce their acquired citizenships. But to stigmatise those Pakistanis who have opted to avail of the facility provided by Pakistani statute books purely on the basis of lopsided logic and septuagenarian anger is something that no sensible person would approve of.

To jog Khawaja Sahib’s memory, his party leaders are on record praising the myriad contributions that dual nationals have made over the decades. Many high-profile Pakistanis have acquiesced when members of their immediate families opted to secure nationalities of countries with which Pakistan has bilateral arrangements and understanding. When in power, leaders of Pakistan have either been praising the routine financial contributions overseas Pakistanis have been making or have been urging Pakistanis abroad to play a similar role that has been played by the Chinese and Indian diaspora communities.

One can imagine the politician in question modifying his statement by saying the target of his tirade were Pakistanis with dual nationalities only and that he respects and regards the millions of Pakistani labourers toiling in the Middle Eastern countries in order to fund and feed their poor families by remitting major portions of their meagre allowances.

Making a clear distinction between overseas Pakistanis and Pakistanis with dual nationalities, let me help update the record regarding the services and contributions of the latter so that any future reference to this matter is steered by logic rather than anger. Pakistan currently has dual nationality arrangements with 22 countries. The government of Pakistan’s record puts the number of Pakistanis with dual nationality at 4,493,835. Dual nationality agreements with these countries, considered the most advanced in the world today, were not secured in a day. What would they make of the minister’s statement?

There are over 11 million Pakistanis settled abroad, out of which around six million work in the Gulf and the Middle East. Most of them cannot have dual nationality as none of the Gulf states barring Bahrain allow such a facility. Out of the 22, only four countries are Muslim states.

Settled in the West for generations, these dual nationals have not only kept their Pakistani nationality but have procured the same for their children, born and brought up abroad. For decades, they were the sole reason for which carriers like PIA had been flying to Western capitals for they made it a habit of bringing their children to Pakistan every year to see their grandparents and meet other family members.

Today, they may not be remitting as much money as the workers in the Gulf are doing but they have invested billions of dollars in Pakistan’s volatile real estate sector even after losing their investments to fraud and corruption. North America and Western Europe are major markets for Pakistan’s feeble exports. In most cases, these 4.4 million dual nationals are the principal consumers of such exports. They are the ones who make it a point to buy Pakistani basmati rice, lentils, spices and mangoes purely out of their love for their parent country.

More importantly, thousands of dual-national Pakistanis have risen from being members of an immigrant community to becoming part of mainstream societies. They are not only considered prized members of the host societies but also offer invaluable services by being a bridge between countries like the UK and US and Pakistan. There are around 25 members of Pakistani heritage in the British parliament. They have held important cabinet posts in cross-party governments. The mayor of London has created personal history by winning three terms but is always referred to as a Pakistani by extraction in the British and international media. Hundreds of others are part of the British local government system and dual national Pakistanis at the same time.

There are over 12,000 doctors of Pakistani origin in the British National Health Service – valued and respected. From politics to public service, education to entertainment, literature to science and technology, law and justice to sport, dual-national Pakistanis have made us proud. Fewer in numbers but similar examples are being set in other European countries and North America too.

Dual-national Pakistanis have used their influence and expertise to win favours for Pakistan in multiple ways. They do not merit any of such disrespect shown to them. In fact, they deserve an apology. Will they get it?

The writer is the chairman of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation’s board of governors.