The writer is a member of the information wing of the MQM and a provincial minister, Sindh
But nowadays, a strange debate is taking place in the national press where some individual politicians and anchorpersons are deliberately questioning the loyalties of the foreign-based Pakistanis, a majority of whom have dual nationality. Actually, what these individuals fail to understand is that they are on the wrong side of the debate. There is no denying that our Constitution bars dual nationals from holding public offices, but it does not classify them as disloyal or traitors.
Here, one may refer to the Pakistan Citizen Act, which very clearly and precisely allows Pakistani nationals to hold the nationality of as many as 16 countries, including the UK and Canada, for reasons laid out in the Constitution. It is also a fact that Pakistan receives remittances of up to around $14 billion annually from overseas Pakistanis, including dual nationals. That’s why it was trumpeted that they should have the right to vote. Taking the oath of citizenship of another country does not mean that a person has renounced loyalty to his country of birth.
It may also be recalled here that, in the past, we have had a prime minister (Shaukat Aziz) who was a dual nationality holder. Anyway, why the then Election Commission did not disqualify him, or others with dual nationality at the time, is another debate altogether. What is ironic is that while a few spokesmen of the PML-N are talking against dual nationality holders for fear of Dr Tahirul Qadri, they fail to grasp the behind-the-scenes agreement under which their leader Nawaz Sharif, went to Saudi Arabia and remained there for over a decade. One would also call the statements made, at the time, by Mr Nawaz Sharif, who was not only critical of the government, but also showed mistrust of the judiciary. Interestingly, Mr Nawaz Sharif is the only leader who has a lifetime facility to stay in a country which does not have the policy of offering a nationality or multiple visas.
Moreover, leaders are being misquoted to misguide the nation and malign leaders of international repute. For example, the other day, when quoting Quaid-e-Azam as a British national, MQM leader Altaf Hussain was just making a reference to stop those biased interpreters who are terming dual nationals as ‘unfaithful’. It was aimed at making them realise that the dual nationality holders are as honest as the Father of the Nation was. To say that Mr Altaf Hussain “maligned” the Quaid-e-Azam is a distortion of the statement. Every one of us knows that before 1947, united India was governed by Britain and the British government had the authority to issue a passport. So it was geographical facts and the then-existing political situation to which Mr Altaf Hussain had referred.
At the end, it is my humble request to the media to play their due role on these sensitive issues in a very responsible and sensible way. Generally speaking, it has become our psyche as a nation to focus on the negative side of things and our media needs to put aside all such feelings and focus on the ‘glass half full’ rather than the ‘glass half empty’.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2013.
COMMENTS (16)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
70 percent members of assemblies (both national and provisional) in Pakistan have a fake degree. They all contained just Pakistani passport. The Pakistanis who contained dual nationality have genuine degree. They learned many good things in the west now they want to implement good things which they learned from west in Pakistan. We should support them.
very well written. I totally agreed Pakistani state has made dual nationals' face a bad image by calling them disloyal. Although most of the corruption in Pakistan has been done by Pakistani only passport hlders and not to forget that their home grown terrorists are not dal nationals..
It is just self interest, the fact is when you take a oath of another constitution , you are legally and morally bound to defend the adapted county even if that country attack your birth place country, one could refrain from participation on religious grounds but nothing else.Your assertion of taking two loyalty oaths is not going to fly, ie. US oath for US citizenship clearly stipulate that while taking the oath one has to renounce other nationalities and be a loyal US citizen for all matters. Yes, we could love our birth place in Pakistan but the fact is we are bound to the constitutions of our adapted countries. Shaukat Aziz was brought in by a dictator and MQM supported it. It is dishonest, disloyal and plain fraud to have dual nationality knowing fully well that Pakistani Constitution does not allow it but these self serving members of the NA and PAs went ahead and hoodwinked the nation any way. If you want to run for elections in Pakistan then renounce your other nationality, it is as simple as that.
@Ricky: I don't think that saying you were born in British India confuses anyone since we all know that the colony of British India could only give travel documents and passports as subjects of the British Empire. The problem is that in 2013 someone like Tahirul Qadri is being dishonest about his foreign nationality when he openly says he needed to get Canadian citizenship on the advice of his doctors because he needs ongoing medical care. He said these words on Pakistani TV in an interview. People in Canada are upset at such words because they think people immigrate and assume Canadian nationality because they want to be part of Canadian society and are ready to give up links to their home country- not run there within a few years to make politics or to give this odd reason for becoming a Canadian citizen. The principle of Tahirul Qadri's behaviour and his flip flop statements shows he lacks character- we have also heard how he has one message for the Western audience and another message when he is in Pakistan ( blasphemy laws). Who can trust him apart from simple religious people abroad who give away hard earned money to a charlatan?
The stand taken and the desperation shown by the MQM on this issue is quite apparent. Attempts to undo this Constitutional clause has backfired up to now and this write up appears to be an attempt at damage control. I must admit its a good attempt.
@Queen:
By alienating the very same overseas Pakistani's that prop up Pakistan, people like you fail to understand from the mistakes of "divide and rule" which you impose even on the people within your own (OUR!) country (based on ethnicities and religious affiliations). These overseas Pakistani's are to Pakistan what oxygen is to you and me.
These overseas Pakistani's are so loyal to Pakistan that they continue to send money to family and friends in Pakistan, they pay their charity in Pakistan, they invest in property and land, they prop up the construction and textile industry, they start businesses, they bring to the country a degree of innovation and lessons from their host countries. When catastrophe strikes in Pakistan they send more money combined that any one individual country promises to (which most don’t even fulfil!). They could quite easily not reduce their own standard of living in the short term to send money to Pakistan. They do all of this despite the current economic climate and despite their hard earned cash eroded by past and current governments (e.g. Nawaz Sharif and the Dollar and Pound Accounts) raiding this remittance at each and every opportunity. There are plenty of other country’s that are vying for that investment but NO I am that Pakistani which expresses more loyalty to Pakistan than those who destroy it from within.
@B+: A person who is attacking the dignity of the Founder can be loyal to Pakistan. How?
@Author;
Altaf Hussain was making to such point, he was just playing word games to try and confuse ppl about the fact that he is a dual national along with several senior members of his party...dragging Jinnah into the controversy was not only a pathetic attempt but also completely illogical...Altaf maybe a great leader but he is no Jinnah.
The best way to end this whole dual nationality issue is to make it illegal. If someone wants to immigrate to another country, good for them, then they have to give up their Pakistani nationality. In return the govt could issue them a POC (Pakistan Origin Card) which would allow them visa free entry, unlimited stay, right to buy property, open a business, permission to work etc. in Pakistan i.e. all the benefits of a Pakistani national, except they would be barred from holding any elected office and senior govt posts, this could also extend to their children but not grandchildren.
There is no such thing as half a Pakistani, either you are a Pakistani or you are not.
If dual nationals are so patriotic toward Pakistan, then instead of pledging allegiance to some foreign country, they should have made efforts to improve the situation in Pakistan.
This is nothing but Altaf Hussain and his followers' move to gain support for their ministers who have dual nationalities.
Dual nationals - especially those that were born and brought up in Pakistan but obtained a citizenship of another country have largely done so to take advantage of jobs and benefits of the country they are living in. It is not because they are double agents. Who do you think these people support when Pakistan is playing England or Australia? They will always support their motherland. They send dollars and pounds home. That is much needed foreign exchange that Pakistan doesn't have. They lobby their local government on Pakistan's behalf. That is goodwill Pakistan on its own could not generate. It is the same for Indians, Sri Lankans etc. So why deny them the right to vote?
Why is Altaf Hussain even trying to make a point for dual nationality holders by referring to Quaid i Azam? Whatever MQM might think, Jinnah was NOT a dual national...So making any such reference is meaningless and to be honest...stupid.And here we have this information wing member again making the same dumb mistake by mentioning it.
Very well written...Totally agreed, Dual Nationals are as loyal to Pakistan as anyone else.
Making an oath of allegiance may be just words in PAK.
Perhaps, then it is high time to scrub the clauses of the constitution that bar the non Muslims to the high offices.
Compared to the dual national islamists, at least the non Muslims of PAK live and die in PAK. Why doubt them as disloyal citizens.
oh, wait, it is not the country that is important but their religion is. So, as long as they are Muslims (definitely not Ahmedis ), wherever they are, how treacherous they can be to their native and host lands, their loyalty cannot be questioned because they are loyal to the Islam and the ideology of PAK.
Dual nationals are traitors to PAK and their host country. Nothing prevents them from relinquishing their host land citizenship and nothing prevents them from being a permanent resident of their host country without relinquishing their PAK citizenship.
Holding or aspiring for public office means the person wishes to "serve' his electorate, it does not in any way imply the right to rule and pillage. Therefore, dual national wishing to come back and "serve" their constituency must be encouraged because they bring back valuable talent that would otherwise be lost. When our politicians, judges, generals, Ulema and general public fall sick, would they not like to be taken care by a "foreign" educated Doctor? Would they oppose treatment if the Doctor was a dual national?