The right of vote for overseas Pakistanis

Ishtiaq Ahmed

One of the major plank of Imran Khan’s big change was to give the ‘right of vote’ to the overseas Pakistanis. The present interim government has readily committed itself to undoing this.

At the time of this ill-thought-through change, many of us living in the UK had some serious reservations about this development believing that it would prove to be detrimental to the cause of the British Pakistani diaspora on several grounds. Notwithstanding, what the present government may or may not do, for many of us, our initial concerns still remain high.

Mohammed Ajeeb CBE and the former Lord Mayor of Bradford, in his fb post of yesterday candidly wrote, “ Having lived in Britain for over half a century, some British Pakistanis and Kashmiris are still not only interested in Pakistani politics but they are desperately fighting for their voting right to support the parties of their choice in Pakistan. Their demand is not only puerile and absurd, it can cause further damage to the already tarnished image of the community. It can also be a source of friction and unwarranted difficulties for our future generations. I am at loss to understand what benefits they expect and desire to gain from exercising the right of vote?

We live in Britain permanently, we are citizens of this country, we work and pay our taxes here and our children are being educated here. All of our social, economic and political problems and their solutions are related to the British government. The preponderance of our children is not interested in Pakistani politics which they deem as corrupt and irrelevant.

The importation of Pakistani politics into Britain is bound to divide the community further which unfortunately is already quite fragmented. Would it not be more beneficial for us if we took a more active and fuller part in British politics? This way we can serve the interests of our countries of origin in a much better way…”

I cannot but totally agree with Mohammed Ajeeb’s forthright take on the inherent difficulties involved if the right of vote for British Pakistanis stays. This also seems to be the general view of a number of notable academics and political activists that have taken the time to respond to the above post.

I recall writing on the issue when it was first put forward by the previous PTI government. I took the view then and I am of the same view today that the granting of the right to vote to British Pakistanis was regressive and would be hugely problematic. My principal objections at the time which remain today included:

1. The right of vote will further divide and polarise British Pakistanis;
2. It will most definitely distract British Pakistanis from taking up their rightful place in the British politics;
3. British Pakistanis now into their fourth and fifth-generation have very little or no interest in Pakistani politics or its shenanigans. This is not to suggest that they have no affiliation with Pakistan, of course, they have but feel that they can serve the country of their forefathers better in other ways than being drawn into the divisive politics of Pakistan.
4. For the majority of British Pakistanis, Britain is their primary home, in fact, their only home. It is there that they need to invest politically and otherwise;
5. The continued involvement in Pakistani politics will expose the British Pakistanis to the negative propaganda of the right-wing extreme elements in the British society always quick to malign and cease upon any opportunity to question the commitment of British Pakistanis to the British society. This will provide them with another powerful line of attack on the community already under siege from racism and Islamophobia.
6. Finally, a politically, more united and integrated British Pakistani community in the mainstream politics of Britain would be of greater benefit to Pakistan than a divided and marginalized one.

This was my position then and it is the same today. In fact, having lived in Pakistan for the best part of six months with an opportunity to observe things from close quarters, I have become more convinced of my position.

However, there is an alternative position put forward by the supporters of the right of vote for the British Pakistanis which argues that people have families, assets, business interests and other affiliations with Pakistan. Therefore, they need to be engaged with and involved in the democratic process of the country to safeguard their interests and consolidate their links. There is merit in this line of argument and should be not dismissed lightly. However, I maintain that the protection of interest should come through the legal channels open to all citizens of Pakistan wherever they may be. The links with the country should be strengthened through close family ties and reciprocal cultural exchanges. A notional political representation in the political culture of Pakistan will not be effective.