Of Kharia’s 80,000 population, about 70% live and work in Norway. “This is a sign of their success,” said Norwegian Ambassador Cecilie Landsverk on a recent trip the village.
“They build houses here to show off their affluence, but most of these houses are vacant,” commented Aslam Ahsan a Norwegian-Pakistani. Several families who migrated to Norway for work in the ‘70s came back to Kharian and have constructed houses. For these people, the switch is inevitable as the weather changes. During winters, these families return to Pakistan and retreat back to Norway in summertime.
Masood Akhtar, a lawyer, said that the Norwegian-Pakistanis return to their area of origin but are disconnected from domestic affairs. “Even though some of them are engaged in politics over there, but when they come back, they don’t want to do much for the community here,” he said.
“Although they should have a right to vote but since they carry dual nationality, they cannot.”
Ali Akhtar, a counsellor in Norway for the past 30 years and currently visiting Pakistan said that the to-and-fro between Kharian and Norway is a cultural shock for children. “It’s easier for us because we grew up here, but it invokes mixed feelings amongst my children and grandchildren,” he said.
Aslam Ahsan, another local said that although most of these people built houses, one Norwegian-Pakistani has constructed a school, which costs double than other local schools but has enrolment of about 15,000 students. Some others have constructed mosques and roads that lead to their houses, but nothing has been done for the community at large.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2012.
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