Article 14 of the Pakistan Citizenship Act of 1951.

Dual citizenship or nationality not permitted.

 (1) Subject to the provisions of this section if any person is a citizen of Pakistan under the provisions of this Act and is at the same time a citizen or national of any other country he shall, unless he makes a declaration according to the laws of that other country renouncing his status as citizen or national thereof, cease to be a citizen of Pakistan.

The Pakistan Citizenship Act, when promulgated in 1951, did not allow Pakistanis to hold dual nationality. Over the years however, the Act was amended to allow Pakistanis to do so. The primary reason was to accommodate influential Pakistanis who had obtained foreign passports but simultaneously wanted to retain the perks and privileges associated with being Pakistanis. A simple review of the countries whose citizens are allowed dual citizenship proves this. Pakistan allows its citizens to hold nationalities of Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, and Iceland; yes; Iceland amongst other western countries. Equally illustrative of the bias in our award of dual nationality is the fact that Afghans, Iranians and many other nationalities who have lived here for generations do not qualify for Pakistani citizenship.  

The term ‘Dual National’ applies to those Pakistanis who have become citizens of various developed countries. However, when it is argued that dual nationals are the ones that keep our economy afloat by remitting huge amounts of foreign exchange, those Pakistanis who do not have two passports are included in that category. The real truth Is that the bulk of foreign remittances comes from the hard-working Pakistani laborers in the Middle East who are not dual nationals; they are simple, hardworking Pakistanis who endure very harsh conditions to earn money abroad and send it home to their families.

This does not mean that dual nationals who live in the West have an easy life. These “Pakistanis” toil equally hard. They too have to work hard but they do so in a comfortable and protected environment enjoying the rights and privileges of developed societies. Many competent and qualified doctors, engineers, lawyers and other professional Pakistanis live abroad driving taxis, pumping gas, running grocery stores, working as security guards or preforming other blue-collar tasks to earn their livelihoods. As they do so, they proudly champion the concept of ‘dignity of labor’. The truth is otherwise. They have to do so to service the heavy debt they assume in the form of home loans, credit cards, insurance, social security payments etc. One income is never enough; the entire family, spouse, children, parents; everyone has to work to make ends meet.

There is nothing wrong with this. The point that needs highlighting is that these dual nationals simply do not have any ability to remit large sums to Pakistan. Any money they send home is either for financial support of their families or for religious obligations such as Zakat, Sadqa, Qurbani etc. The vast majority of Dual national Pakistanis live in alien lands for a simple, purely personal reason; they aim to better their lot and that of their offspring. They do so grudgingly and under great emotional stress of missing their motherland and its comforts. Their bond with Pakistan is very strong; they watch Pakistani TV channels, emulate Pakistani fashions and trends; they follow the events that take place in Pakistan; they anguish over the shenanigans of the Pakistani politicians. They desperately hope that the nation becomes prosperous and that they can move back to their motherland one day.

Dual nationals refuse to accept their personal contribution to the miserable state that Pakistan is in. They get extremely upset when they are reminded of the harsh fact that they have left Pakistan for purely selfish reasons and, in doing so, have failed to deliver on an unstated but moral obligation of serving their motherland which has invested in them. Most Pakistanis who have migrated to the developed world are qualified professionals who have studied in Pakistani medical colleges, business schools and engineering universities and paid a pittance in tuition fees. Many have further benefitted from scholarships, grants, financial assistance, qarz-e-hasna and other financial aid to achieve their degrees. Some have unscrupulously attained a dual national status by not returning home after being sent abroad on training courses, scholarships, exchange programs and official assignments. There are also a sizeable number of Pakistanis who have obtained dual nationality through fabricated or grossly exaggerated reasons of political, religious, or ethnic persecution.

The truth is that Pakistanis seek dual nationality purely to secure a better life for themselves. They do not do this for any altruistic reason of serving the nation in any form or manner. It is very wrong is to propagate the falsehood that dual nationals are performing some extraordinary national service or are the saviors of Pakistan. Indeed, the reverse is true. Dual nationals cannot be loyal to Pakistan. They have stood up in front of a foreign government official, raised their hand and taken an oath of loyalty to their new country. It is a sworn undertaking that specifically includes taking up arms whenever required against any other nation including Pakistan. This is an incontrovertible prerequisite to becoming a citizen of any other country. When called upon, a Pakistani dual national cannot refuse to go to war or conduct espionage etc.  against Pakistan.

To put the whole debate about dual nationality in correct perspective, all that is needed is the answer to one simple question.

Would the loyalty and love that a dual national has for Pakistan diminish in any way whatsoever if the option of having two passports is taken away from that individual?

If the answer is NO then dual nationality is a non-issue and can be dispensed with. It confirms that one does not need to have a Pakistani passport to love Pakistan. Conversely, if the answer is YES then it follows that a dual national seeks to have the best of both worlds purely for personal gain. Such individuals are best left holding their new nationalities. There is no need for the Government of Pakistan to allow such persons to remain Pakistanis.