This story belongs to all: A tale of overseas Pakistanis woven with a mixture of triumphs and setbacks, cherished moments and melancholic sentiments, tears, regrets, accomplishments, accolades and sacrifices.
Within the constraints of this limited space, it is impossible to fully encapsulate the myriad stories I have gathered from conversations with numerous Pakistanis residing across the Middle East, Europe, Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Many find themselves inhabiting a cuckoo-land, neither fully acknowledged abroad nor fairly treated in their country of origin. So, the question arises: where does one seek belonging? This remains a daunting challenge.
It was the winter of 2002, amid a rainy and somber November night in the outskirts of Istanbul, as city dwellers prepared to elect their mayor, that I had the opportunity to converse with scores of young South Asians seeking refuge. Gathered in a cramped room barely allowing room to stretch their legs, their collective aspiration was to traverse the seas to Greece, in pursuit of settling in Europe.
Why do people emigrate? What is the cost? The narratives of sacrifice, obstacles and adversity encountered en route to Greece via Iran and Türkiye were profoundly moving. Why do individuals leave behind their families? The true weight of such decisions is only felt after enduring these trials; I hope no one ever becomes an emigre, relegated to second or third-rate citizenship after sacrificing family life, mourning lost loved ones, and, most significantly, the prime of one's life.
To be fair, humanity often fails to appreciate what it possesses, fixating instead on what is absent. Many of us abroad enjoy privileges and luxuries beyond our wildest dreams, yet our list of grievances lengthens with each passing year. This is the story of the Pakistani diaspora.
What could be more disheartening than witnessing the gradual decline of one's homeland? Hopes diminish as Pakistan seems to teeter toward becoming a failed state. While some experts warn that its economy is barely clinging to life, sustained only by financial aid, others argue that it has long since expired. Like millions of Pakistanis abroad, I struggle to accept such news, even if it holds truth.
Like many fellow British Pakistanis, I am impressed by British values, despite acknowledging disparities in the application of British laws at home and abroad. However, numerous British Pakistanis, who have embraced Britain as their second home, would concur that, to a certain extent, fairness, equality, fundamental individual rights, and personal liberties are most effectively upheld in the West.
No one in the U.K. dares to seize my property unlawfully, nor can any civil servant or military officer bypass me in a queue, ensuring the protection of my fundamental rights. In 2015, I successfully contested an unfair Ph.D. supervision case against the University of Huddersfield, which had covered solicitor fees, prompting reflection on the efficacy of the British justice system.
While acknowledging the prevalence of nepotism, favoritism and corruption in Pakistani society, overseas Pakistanis, despite facing disownment, mistreatment, and property scams, maintain a deep-rooted affection for their homeland.
Nowhere is perfect, Britain, like any other place, has its challenges too. I occasionally feel like a solitary bird in my own orbit but safe.
During my visits to Pakistan, I have observed certain individuals receiving preferential treatment at airports, particularly those from army, civil servants, or political and business elite backgrounds. Conversely, in the U.K., many Pakistanis adopt a very British approach, patiently queuing in cities.
For this article, I have spoken to all strands of British-born Pakistanis to figure out their sentiments and gain firsthand experience of visiting the country of their parents.
An array of complaints mostly mistreatment at the hands of civil and military bureaucracy has roots in the colonial past. After applying careful and thorough research, I found that British colonial rules were set to control the subcontinent public.
Unfortunately, anyone can witness lavish lifestyles and luxurious packages available to government officers. Worryingly, decades on, the country is still proudly practicing and endorsing those century-old cold-hearted British colonial laws.
In England, the British Pakistanis are witnessing their third generation born and bred here yet considerably connected to Pakistan.
A British political figure, Lord Norman Tebbit, famously suggested, “Immigrants had not integrated into U.K. society if they backed their native country over the English cricket team.
“The test isn’t outdated,” said Lord Tebbit, speaking to the Financial Times this week. “It still asks of those crowds: who is your priority? The country you have come to, or the country from which you came?”
Let me be as open as possible. Yes, my love is now divided because Britain is my second home. Like millions of fellow Brits, I speak highly of Britain on many platforms but sometimes, I do murmur of unfairness and ill-behaviour as nowhere is perfect.
The same is true, as many Pakistanis raised genuine concerns over the Pakistani government's failure to address core issues affecting them. For instance, a denial to vote in the general elections, failing justice and refusing protection against property grabbers and land mafias.
Today, British Pakistanis are an integral part of British society from businesses to politics and specialists in medicine to actively participating in Britain’s leading institutions. The overseas Pakistani diaspora runs incredible projects for orphans' schools, hospitals, shelters and medical charities all over Pakistan.
The British Pakistanis are eager to offer their support to uplift Pakistan’s dying economy. I spoke to dozens of Pakistanis settled in Leeds and mostly born here yet enthusiastic to aid uplift Pakistan's economy through their investments and extraordinary business skills. All they asked for is a fairer and just law that protects them.
Many British Pakistanis have investments in Dubai and Türkiye because they feel safe. Notably, Kashmiris make up the biggest diaspora in the U.K. They are actively involved in mainstream British politics and continuously talk highly of Pakistan on various international forums but despite their unconditional support, Kashmiris have still long been deprived of their basic rights.
Imagine, they must land at Islamabad airport because the government has never made it happen, even rich Kashmiris are willing to donate millions for this task. All eyes are on the new coalition government that has a chance to win overseas Pakistanis by addressing their genuine concerns.
Imagine, a laborer working on high-rise buildings in the scorching heat of the Middle East and facing numerous challenges including homesickness, fighting loneliness, lack of protection and basic facilities back home, yet contributing through a sizable remittance to cushion Pakistan’s sinking economy.
Have you ever thought about what a Pakistani laborer gets? No plots, no free medical facilities and children's education as every member of the armed forces, judiciary and civil servant receives. Nothing! yet the patriotic laborer never moans. So, when will the government feel its pains?
Every coming government has sung the same old song with new lyrics in the past few decades, but nothing has happened. As the famous song goes, “Night is young,” perhaps one day, overseas Pakistanis will receive the real justice that they deserve and recognition of their struggle at their country of birth.
