Although there is a huge population of Pakistani diaspora living in various parts of the world, yet it is a fact that most of them have not been able to sever their relations with their ‘home’ and that they have an emotional relationship with Pakistan. Although the diaspora in Europe and USA has learnt various languages, established businesses, brought properties and their children have been brought up and educated in the foreign lands, yet they have not adopted the culture and the society and remained largely isolated. This way, they developed an even closer emotional link with Pakistan than the people actually living here.

Every year thousands and thousands of families come ‘back home’, spending their hard earned money on holidays and trips to Pakistan, despite the scorching heat in the summers and power shortages in severe winters. It does not matter that the world offers much more attractive holiday destinations and for less money, all they want is to come home to Pakistan.

But the deplorable part of this reality is the utterly unfair conduct meted out to them on their return. They face all kinds of hurdles and are given a tough time by various authorities dealing with them including the FIA, NADRA, airport officials, immigration officials and many more.

There are heartbreaking stories of people who wanted to come back, bring investment or buy properties and how they were utterly devastated by the rotten systems here. Many thousands lost their life’s earnings, their properties and their dreams to come and serve their homeland. Most went back never to return and almost all were disillusioned. They had nowhere to turn to and there was no one to listen to their woes. The judicial system is so corrupt and rotten that there never existed any slightest chance of relief as the civil suits here take decades to decide and for the overseas Pakistanis to wait for that long meant further ruin.

The woes of the overseas Pakistanis were on the lowest priority of all subsequent governments and they were largely ignored. For the first time in 2010 Dr Farooq Sattar tried to develop a comprehensive National Diaspora Policy as the Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis but as the MQM kept coming in and going out of the federal government that work remained unfinished. The fact is that the Overseas Pakistani ministry and the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation in Islamabad is a major part of the exploitation and injustice meted out to the diaspora and they have contributed much to their woes.

For almost twenty years the Overseas Pakistani Foundation has initiated housing projects in Islamabad, Lahore and other cities for the overseas Pakistanis and the diaspora have invested their money in them. OPF has taken millions and millions of rupees from the people in return for commercial and residential plots in housing societies which are still under construction and incomplete. Most people have given up hope of ever getting the plot, some have even died waiting and their next generation is now in line for the unlimited wait. The OPF is responsible to provide many services to the diaspora for which they have billions of rupees of unspent budget but they are never delivered. The MD OPF and other officials enjoy unjustified perks, privileges and ride luxury cars from the budget meant for the overseas Pakistanis, yet they deliver nothing. The reason is the total non-commitment of the government and the least priority that the problems of overseas Pakistanis are given. The diaspora is the main source of the foreign exchange in Pakistan and they serve as the backbone of its economy yet they are ignored and mistreated.

In this background a most unprecedented phenomenon that was seen after the meteoric rise of PTI and Imran Khan’s popularity was the massive interest that it generated in the overseas Pakistanis all over the world, especially in Europe and America. Never had any leader triggered this level of interest that Imran Khan did and the passion for creating the ‘Naya (new) Pakistan’. Never before had so many people joined a political party and their enthusiasm in the activities of the party was truly inspirational. It exhibited the desire to change the status quo for a new paradigm that Imran Khan claimed to create.  

Overseas Pakistanis from all walks of life not only joined PTI in large numbers and they gave up their businesses, jobs and work to come to Pakistan to support Imran Khan and participate in PTI’s activities and jalsas. They also contributed huge funds for the party activities as well as the philanthropic and charity works of Imran Khan.

Imran Khan became the symbol of the Pakistan they desired, where they would belong, contribute and make a difference. A Pakistan where they would be needed and their contribution appreciated. It was a much understandable reaction to the decades of neglect and hardships that the diaspora had faced, ‘back home’.

I have witnessed people contributing huge funds collected voluntarily by their friends and families for the PTI campaign and for Imran Khan with such genuine love and energy that was unmatched by any party worker here. The overseas Pakistanis flew in to Pakistan for the election campaign and even just for casting their votes with their entire families. In a country where there was always a low election turnout amongst the middle and upper society it was like a fresh breath of air to see so many young and old coming to Pakistan in the hope of creating a New Pakistan.

It is one thing that the election results were less than desirable for Imran Khan and his party. But it is also a fact that Imran Khan got a historical number of votes for a relatively young party and more than 7.5 million people voted for him including the large number of overseas Pakistanis. This in itself was a victory for his party but it is very disappointing to see that Imran Khan has not been able to realize the true meaning of this victory or actualize and capitalize on this success. He was lost somewhere and stuck on a one point agenda of the rigging which although was important in itself, it is not the most important issue. Much more important than the rigging issue was the need to further reform the election system, make it more transparent for the next time and also focus on including all the overseas voters in the next elections who are Imran Khan’s most ardent admirers, loving fans and devoted workers of PTI.

I am sorry to see that Imran Khan and PTI is again making the same mistake that all the subsequent governments as well as political parties in Pakistan have made in underestimating the strength, importance and the rights of the Pakistani diaspora I truly believe that they have more right than any local residence to participate in the running, development and politics of Pakistan.

PTI has a golden opportunity to find reinforced strength in these wonderful patriotic Pakistanis who live abroad but have their hearts attached to their homeland. They are not only enthusiastic party workers but many are highly educated, skilled, experienced and have had the opportunity to live abroad and learn from the exposure to several political and administrative systems. They can play a vital role in contributing for better policy formulations, developing better systems in all kinds of services in Pakistan and they can also help the governments do a lot in terms of actualizing the benefits from the diaspora as well as solving their issues here in Pakistan.

The PTI members abroad are simply too precious to be ignored and left alone. They are a precious asset which every other party could only dream of having. These priceless members are largely being ignored and are genuinely upset.  They had so many stories of mismanagement and misappropriation within PTI to share and they were also unhappy that they could not make their voices heard.

The elected members and the office holders must be given proper roles and responsibilities in the running, policy and decision making process of PTI. They must have defined roles and sufficient budgets for their offices and operational costs. It is high time that they are treated as VIP members of the party and not just a resource to collect funds when needed.

And it is also important that PTI must develop a comprehensive diaspora policy for all overseas Pakistanis without further delay and make sure that all the issue and problems of the diaspora are taken up in the parliament and the corruption and exploitation of overseas Pakistanis by OPF is brought in the open.