As a dual national myself, I would like to present the following suggestions.
ISLAMABAD: I am a Pakistani-American citizen living in Pakistan with my family for the past few years working for a global corporate giant. I chose to return to Pakistan because the ongoing recession in the US allowed me to use an opportunity in this country to enjoy the same lifestyle that I had there. There are others like me who have either come for the same reason or to raise their children in a so-called “Islamic society”. There is no other reason for dual nationals to return to Pakistan. The ones who really want to serve their motherland never choose other nationalities. A good example of this is Noble Laureate Dr Abdus Salam.
The only purpose behind holding many passports is to use them to travel abroad especially since getting visas for Pakistanis is becoming increasingly tough. I would agree with what Taj Haider wrote on this subject on these pages on July 8, titled “On dual nationalities and allegiances” when he said that expatriates are loyal neither to their country of birth nor to the country of adoption but only to their own narrow self-interests. As a dual national myself, I would like to present the following suggestions: 1) People who have nationality of more than one country should not be allowed to carry a Pakistani passport. Holding a NICOP or a Pakistan Origin Card for their children should be enough. 2) Any expatriate Pakistani who wants to work in Pakistan either in the public or private sector must do so via a contractual work permit after declaring his or her other nationalities. This is standard practice globally and there is no reason why it should not be implemented in Pakistan as well. CNIC cards should not be issued to Pakistanis holding multiple nationalities. 3) Those Pakistanis who want to participate in elections must surrender their acquired nationalities at the time of filing their nomination papers. 4) Overseas Pakistanis should only be allowed to vote if they do not hold any other citizenship.
Asad Qureshi
Published in The Express Tribune, July 30th, 2012.
