While vast majority of expatriates holding dual nationality are honest hardworking people, whose patriotism to Pakistan is beyond doubt, greed and dishonesty of few has done a lot of damage to our country. Remember that men like Adm Mansoor-ul-Haq and Hamesh Khan etc were US nationals. The fact that most of those involved in major financial scams, such as the Punjab Bank, NICL, OGDC, PIA, Railways, PASSCO, NHA, Hajj Scam, Loan Defaults etc, all were dual nationality holders, has brought a bad name for other expatriates. Political or military government who had nominated such criminals to these positions are as much guilty, as those who stand accused of financial crimes. Any Pakistani origin US national has to take an oath that "I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic".
Vast majority of patriotic honest expats need to appreciate these restrictions imposed on dual nationality holders from contesting elections for any elected public office. Such restrictions to avail specific civic rights are imposed in other countries, where a citizen must show proof of living in a country and paying his taxes for periods ranging up to five years without any break. This restriction on dual nationality holders must also extend to all other public office holders, especially those within the civil and uniformed bureaucracy. These people can serve Pakistan on contract jobs, or as consultants, if such expertise does not exist within the country, but should never be allowed to serve in senior executive assignments, where policy decisions involve major financial authorization. Under no circumstances should a dual nationality holder, or even an individual with an immigration status holding major assets located abroad, qualifying him for nationality status, should be allowed to hold any public office, including foreign diplomatic assignments. Mere enactment of a law by ECP will not serve any purpose unless all those sitting MNA, MPA, Senator, or Ministers holding dual nationality should be proceeded against immediately and there are quite a few of them.
TARIQ MALIK,
 Lahore, December 22.