Diaspora — a national asset

The recent resignation of two special assistants to the PM, Dr Zafar Mirza and Ms Tania Aidrus, was not a non-event. It is a reflection of how Pakistanis settled abroad are viewed in society and how we deal with them. Foreigners of Pakistani lineage who voluntarily come to serve the country deserve the gratitude of the nation. For most of them have left their fairly lucrative jobs abroad being driven by the desire that they have to give back something in return.

It is unfortunate that generally any foreigner even if they are our own are viewed with suspicion by many. Their colleagues in the workplace and others would not miss an opportunity to fault them and publicise it. Far greater shortcomings among Pakistanis are likely to be ignored. Perhaps the perception is that they are having the best of both the worlds, abroad and in country.

The bias sometimes expressed against the Finance Minister and Governor State Bank is clearly reflective of this phenomenon. They perhaps consider them as projecting foreign interests whereas they are mostly driven by the passion to serve the country at a time when it is going through a difficult economic situation. Their past association with international monetary and financial institutions is in fact an asset. These erroneous assumptions could have long-term consequences and the government and civil society has a responsibility in eradicating them.

People of Pakistani origin are the country’s valuable assets. They had migrated to other countries to improve their lives and that of their families. Many have talents or technical or specialised expertise that find no avenues in Pakistan but are in great demand abroad. As regards the Pakistani labour and technical personnel they are known for their hard work and commitment. Collectively, our expatriates are a substantial source of foreign exchange and we owe a lot to them for contributing to Pakistan’s financial strength.

There are other inhibitions and prejudices that place us at a disadvantage. The government would not hire even the most capable expatriates if they were non-Muslims fearing a backlash from religious groups.

Pakistan’s economic growth apart from other factors will largely depend on when its leaders broaden their horizon and adopt inclusive policies maximising the potential of their people.

We have to learn from countries like China, Vietnam, India, Mexico and others that have used their expatriates in order to improve themselves and bring the relevant knowledge like transfer of emerging and cutting-edge technologies and modern-day practices and their application. In this way they speeded indigenous development and assisted in developing a strong base for exports.

Above all, they contributed significantly towards altering the work ethics and culture of the society to conform to the demands of modern-day world.

Pakistan has made no serious effort in utilising the potential of our expatriates in this direction.

The reason why this has not happened in Pakistan is primarily because the bulk of our labour in the Middle East is engaged more in labour-intensive work and less in technology-dominated industry.

This clearly demonstrates that lack of emphasis on education by successive Pakistani governments and especially failing to understand the value of quality scientific and technical education has pushed Pakistan at the bottom even by South Asian standards.

Moreover, there have been only half-hearted attempts by successive governments to train our personnel and prepare them for taking jobs abroad.

This weakness has been compounded by the inward approach of some of our industrialists. They have failed to focus on the quality of products and innovations and preferred making quick money rather than taking a long-term perspective and building a strong industrial base. Its impact at the local industry level has been damaging, as exports have remained static.

What is important is to ensure that the quality of our products meets international standards and is able to compete with similar products of other countries. In guiding the industry, Pakistani people settled abroad can be a great help. It is encouraging to find that many new startups are maintaining a close collaboration with them.

Pakistan’s economy will not grow unless our industry and agriculture adopt best practices and take advantage of new innovations. Educational institutions and expatriates could assist but there are no signs that the government is utilising them in an organised manner for this purpose.

All this has to change and we need a radical transformation of the education system. Regrettably, the new syllabi and curriculum that the Punjab government is introducing will further push the country back. It discourages independent thinking in the younger generation and fails to prepare them to compete internationally. Besides, this makes it more difficult for students to assimilate new developments and connect with the world. These policy setbacks would lead to drop in demand of our professionals by foreign firms.

Education being a provincial subject the onus of maintaining quality and standards is provincial government’s responsibility. With such large numbers out of school Pakistan carries a heavy burden. Fortunately, Pakistani diaspora has been supporting education by funding schools in villages and setting up new facilities. Political governments in provinces need to work closely with Pakistanis abroad to prioritise universal education.

The medical doctor diaspora has played a commendable role in strengthening Pakistan’s health facilities. They have set up several state-of-the-art hospitals spread all over Pakistan. They are working either full time or as visiting faculty and contributing in strengthening the health sector.

There are few engineering universities that have been set up by expatriates. Many of them volunteered for teaching assignments. The country needs a lot more good educational facilities as Pakistan is clearly lagging behind in the field of science and technology. It would be a solid contribution if Pakistani engineers and scientists abroad would assist in improving the quality of technical and scientific education in Pakistan.

Undeniably, the Pakistani diaspora is an invaluable national asset. They are already assisting in several critical fields and are willing to do more provided we create the requisite conditions.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2020.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.