The Dilemma of Overseas Pakistanis

Overseas Pakistanis: Questions and Insights

Overseas Pakistanis are, without a doubt, a lifeline for Pakistan’s economy.

Pakistan’s trade deficit is no secret, and it’s the dollars sent home by these expatriates that are keeping the economy afloat. Last year, exports were around $31.76 billion, while imports were nearly $80 billion, leaving a trade deficit of approximately $50 billion. In such a scenario, the $31.2 billion sent by overseas Pakistanis is nothing short of a blessing.

While all of Pakistan collectively earns about $31.76 billion, nearly 9 million overseas Pakistanis contribute almost the same amount alone. Given this contribution, it only makes sense that they should have a fair voice in Pakistan’s political sphere. It’s also their right to be concerned about how this precious foreign exchange is spent and to voice their opinions on such issues.

According to Pakistan's Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, more than 8.5 million Pakistanis live abroad for employment and education.

The sacrifices these overseas Pakistanis make to support their families and homeland are well-known. Despite the hardships they face abroad, they send home significant foreign exchange, which ironically is often used by bureaucrats and other elites to fund luxury imports. While political criticism is easy, what economic policies have any political party put forth to address the trade deficit? Parties may boast about a 6% growth rate, but how much did exports actually increase under their rule? Currently, it’s overseas Pakistanis who are essentially propping up the economy.

On the topic of property investment, imposing restrictions on their investments is questionable. Policy-making is the responsibility of officials, not individual expatriates sending money home. In rural Punjab, for example, these overseas Pakistanis build homes that provide local jobs and stimulate the economy, while elites gravitate towards luxury markets. Furthermore, the construction sector boosts numerous industries and provides employment to the working class.

For these families, Pakistan also serves as a holiday home, and they bring valuable foreign exchange along with them. What are we giving them in return? Rather than driving them away over political differences, we should appreciate their connection to Pakistan. If they support a particular political party, other parties should engage them with policies and strategies to attract their support, not by suggesting punitive measures like blocking their passports. Over 100 countries, including France, Italy, the UK, the USA, and Canada, grant their overseas citizens the right to vote. Unfortunately, partisan politics here often blinds people, who end up supporting one party unconditionally and opposing another without reason.

Many overseas Pakistanis risk their lives to reach Europe via Iran, Turkey, and Greece, overcoming immense challenges before settling in foreign lands, earning a living, and sending money home. If certain political factions resent them, what alternative do these factions offer for the foreign exchange they provide?

When Pakistan's ministers go abroad seeking dollars, how can they then return and use precious foreign exchange to buy luxury items?

These ministers go on official trips and indulge in personal shopping sprees. Isn’t this an insult to the impoverished and forgotten citizens of Pakistan? Do we have answers to these questions?

As the country stands on the brink of default, with the dollar soaring in value, the financial obligations Pakistan faces this year are staggering. To secure even a billion dollars, the IMF has imposed conditions that have resulted in higher taxes, escalating the costs of electricity, gas, and petrol. The State Bank has lost control of Pakistan's financial sovereignty, and who knows what further restrictions will come? So, when government ministers publicly promote luxury imports, what message does this send to the rest of the nation?

If we are to save Pakistan, it’s time to save the dollar and, in doing so, save the country.