New Pakistan-US row

A new row seems to be brewing between Pakistan and the United States but is being handled in a mature and responsible manner, without the hyperbole and drama that has accompanied past issues. There is the suddenness factor of the issue, but again, we are seeing restraint from both sides. The US has placed Pakistan on its running list of countries that do not easily accept deportees claiming or determined to originally be from Pakistan. The trouble from the US perspective is understood — one of President Trump’s major issues since taking office has been immigration. Nevertheless, sensitivity is required to deal with the matter so as to maintain the Pakistan-US relations, especially after President Trump and Prime Minister Imran Khan were newly elected to their respective offices in recent history, both with little to no experience in their current positions.

Pakistan, indubitably, has systems to sort out issues, particularly with regard to unregistered citizens even on its home soil. The government struggles with streamlining processes because of allowing the mess to fester for decades, not to mention uncontrollable population growth and movement of people. Its systems managed to make life hell for citizens and residents who followed laws, bringing them under unnecessary and unjustified scrutiny, such as with taxation, while pulling resources away from transgressors. Instead of harassing honest citizens, the government should have first focused on registering everyone. Investigating false citizenship claims is for a separate justice wing to explore, not an institution established for basic citizenship needs like NADRA.

The US needs to be patient with Pakistan, since it is making some effort to fix its systems. To its credit, Washington showed some restraint with the Islamabad Embassy saying nothing is in effect yet as details are worked out and visa business continues as usual. Before criticism on the already stringent US homeland security measures, the point that only 318 visas have been restricted based on the deportation law in two decades should be noted. Still, the matter needs to be analysed keeping in mind Pakistan is a young country still trying to configure systems.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2019.

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