Incredibly insensitive and self-righteous behavior of overseas Pakistanis

[gangsta_rap]

Folks - I may be stating the obvious with the content below but this entire problem has really reared it's head this time around.

Understandably many overseas 'Pakistanis' were upset over the situation in Pakistan but the methods that they have adopted in an effort to 'correct' the damage done to their champion is resulting in a direct hit against the Pakistani state as a whole.

It is very clear that a good chunk of expat Pakistanis in the US are attempting to 'punish' the Pakistani state for the changes in the political landscape across the past year and a half. Now we are reaching the peak of it - these guys genuinely want Pakistan to suffer with sanctions. The intent was hinted over the pass while but now it is clear that they intend to follow through with it.

Case and point: Intercept article where it makes it clear that sanctions are now on the table against Pakistan due to political turmoil. Given how certain the names of certain signees to the letter - it really isn't a far fetch to think that there were requests from Pakistanis residing in the US to have this motion cast:



Full article: https://theintercept.com/2023/11/17/imran-khan-pakistan-aid-congress/

Full letter: https://omar.house.gov/media/press-...er-calling-state-department-review-whether-us

Key excerpt:



In summary this is how the cycle goes:

-A certain administration in a certain white house interferes in country P's foreign affairs.
-Country P follows course - introduces a change in government since that's how the game is played.
-Concerned citizens of country P living overseas get a hissy fit and start complaining to the mentioned white house to punish country P for introducing this change.
-Now these concerned citizens ramped it up a notch and are asking for sanctions.

Who loses at the end of this crazy cycle? The damage will be on the Pakistani public residing in Pakistan. It will weaken the state even further if measures like this go ahead.

So the question is why are overseas Pakistanis so insensitive to the harm that they advocating for? Can't they see the big picture?

 

[Mirzali Khan]

Folks - I may be stating the obvious with the content below but this entire problem has really reared it's head this time around.

Understandably many overseas 'Pakistanis' were upset over the situation in Pakistan but the methods that they have adopted in an effort to 'correct' the damage done to their champion is resulting in a direct hit against the Pakistani state as a whole.

It is very clear that a good chunk of expat Pakistanis in the US are attempting to 'punish' the Pakistani state for the changes in the political landscape across the past year and a half. Now we are reaching the peak of it - these guys genuinely want Pakistan to suffer with sanctions. The intent was hinted over the pass while but now it is clear that they intend to follow through with it.

Case and point: Intercept article where it makes it clear that sanctions are now on the table against Pakistan due to political turmoil. Given how certain the names of certain signees to the letter - it really isn't a far fetch to think that there were requests from Pakistanis residing in the US to have this motion cast:

View attachment 972

Full article: https://theintercept.com/2023/11/17/imran-khan-pakistan-aid-congress/

Full letter: https://omar.house.gov/media/press-...er-calling-state-department-review-whether-us

Key excerpt:

View attachment 974

In summary this is how the cycle goes:

-A certain administration in a certain white house interferes in country P's foreign affairs.
-Country P follows course - introduces a change in government since that's how the game is played.
-Concerned citizens of country P living overseas get a hissy fit and start complaining to the mentioned white house to punish country P for introducing this change.
-Now these concerned citizens ramped it up a notch and are asking for sanctions.

Who loses at the end of this crazy cycle? The damage will be on the Pakistani public residing in Pakistan. It will weaken the state even further if measures like this go ahead.

So the question is why are overseas Pakistanis so insensitive to the harm that they advocating for? Can't they see the big picture?

Based expats

 

[Developereo]

Speaking as an overseas Pakistani, I never understood the smug superiority of many overseas Pakistanis.

The ONLY thing overseas Pakistanis have done to Pakistan is to inflate the real estate bubble in Pakistan.

 

[Mirzali Khan]

Speaking as an overseas Pakistani, I never understood the smug superiority of many overseas Pakistanis.

The ONLY thing overseas Pakistanis have done to Pakistan is to inflate the real estate bubble in Pakistan.

Our remittances catch up and sometimes exceed the country's total exports

PAKISTAN’S reliance on remittances keeps growing even though exports have started showing a double-digit increase and prospects of foreign investment inflows look brighter.

During nine months of FY18 (July 2017-March 2018), overseas Pakistanis repatriated $14.606 billion, or remittances around 3.5 per cent more than a year-ago of $14.105bn.

That remittances are gradually catching up with Pakistan’s exports is evident from the fact that the country’s exports of $17.1bn in nine months of FY18 were only $2.5bn more than the remittances. It seems our reliance on foreign exchange sent back home by overseas Pakistanis keeps growing.

PRI | Growing reliance on remittances

 

[Sainthood 2.0]

I generally dislike OP's attitude (smugness, know-it-all attitude, talking down, etc., especially in Imrandoo OP's), but this is not one of those times. Diasporas around the globe have protested in a similar manner for their home countries, even in recent years. Considering OP's play an important role in Pakistan's domestic economy and culture, and are Pakistani nationals (dual nationality), to call for democracy in Pakistan is not uncalled for, by whatever means necessary.

 

[Developereo]

Our remittances catch up and sometimes exceed the country's total exports

Yes, but where is that money going?

Many people send spending money to relatives but a big chunk also goes into buying property. This pushes up property prices, making it harder for a local earning Pakistani to buy property in their neighborhood.

I think all property ownership should be restricted not just to citizens but to actual residents. If you want to buy property, you need to be living and earning in the local economy.

 

[Sainthood 2.0]

Folks - I may be stating the obvious with the content below but this entire problem has really reared it's head this time around.

Understandably many overseas 'Pakistanis' were upset over the situation in Pakistan but the methods that they have adopted in an effort to 'correct' the damage done to their champion is resulting in a direct hit against the Pakistani state as a whole.

It is very clear that a good chunk of expat Pakistanis in the US are attempting to 'punish' the Pakistani state for the changes in the political landscape across the past year and a half. Now we are reaching the peak of it - these guys genuinely want Pakistan to suffer with sanctions. The intent was hinted over the pass while but now it is clear that they intend to follow through with it.

Case and point: Intercept article where it makes it clear that sanctions are now on the table against Pakistan due to political turmoil. Given how certain the names of certain signees to the letter - it really isn't a far fetch to think that there were requests from Pakistanis residing in the US to have this motion cast:

View attachment 972

Full article: https://theintercept.com/2023/11/17/imran-khan-pakistan-aid-congress/

Full letter: https://omar.house.gov/media/press-...er-calling-state-department-review-whether-us

Key excerpt:

View attachment 974

In summary this is how the cycle goes:

-A certain administration in a certain white house interferes in country P's foreign affairs.
-Country P follows course - introduces a change in government since that's how the game is played.
-Concerned citizens of country P living overseas get a hissy fit and start complaining to the mentioned white house to punish country P for introducing this change.
-Now these concerned citizens ramped it up a notch and are asking for sanctions.

Who loses at the end of this crazy cycle? The damage will be on the Pakistani public residing in Pakistan. It will weaken the state even further if measures like this go ahead.

So the question is why are overseas Pakistanis so insensitive to the harm that they advocating for? Can't they see the big picture?

West already interferes in Pakistan, might as well interfere for democracy
although I am sure they only look after their own interests

 

[VCheng]

West already interferes in Pakistan, might as well interfere for democracy
although I am sure they only look after their own interests

Everybody looks after their own interests. Everybody. That is how international geopolitics works. Always has, always will.

 

[313Ghazi]

I'm an OP - I worry where an IMF bailout will be spent. Where did the money given to the Shabaz Sharif government go? Notoriously corrupt people, convicted criminals are now being shoehorned back into power - do you think they'll spend the money being borrowed responsibly?

Why is spending less not an option? Why are they always borrowing money to balance the books?

Also there is nothing wrong about not wanting security assistance provided to a military which carried out a psuedo-coup.

Foreign money coming into Pakistan in the form of Aid/Loans is as much a curse as it is a blessing. Until it's cut off our elite will continue to abuse it and won't let our country grow.

 

[VCheng]

I worry where an IMF bailout will be spent.

IMF reports that are issued periodically detailed where all the money goes and how it is spent. They are available on the IMF website, should you care to peruse them, you know, for actual knowledge, rather than mere insinuations.

 

[Mirzali Khan]

Until it's cut off our elite will continue to abuse it and won't let our country grow.

Pakistan needs to learn how to survive on its own without loans and handouts.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Diasporas around the globe have protested in a similar manner for their home countries, even in recent years.

Not to interrupt your chain of thought and the discussion on Pakistan, but this has also been characteristic of parts of the Indian diaspora. While the majority of overseas Indians are enchanted by Modi and his Islamophobic, democracy-hating, institution-subverting government, a vocal minority has been in full support of the 'certain white house' looking into egregious breaches of democratic convention by that government.
You are not alone.

Why is spending less not an option? Why are they always borrowing money to balance the books?

Also there is nothing wrong about not wanting security assistance provided to a military which carried out a psuedo-coup.

You have answered yourself, to some extent. I hesitate to go further.

 

[truthseer]

I am an OSP who lived in Pak up to 5 years ago. I don't see how any remittance I send makes me some sort of great person. Total remittances are higher than exports, but we are sending money back to our families, it's not like we donate them to the state of Pakistan. The other "investment" OSPs do is in real estate that causes real harm to the real estate market back in Pakistan. Again, nothing great. I don't see why OSPs have this behaviour as a whole that they are superior to local Pakistanis, the only difference I can see between what I did now and in Pakistan is that I work abroad for a foreign company that pays me, so in short, nothing to really feel superior about.

As for this, this is another ploy by people who are sad that a certain leader is not the dictator of this country as they had hoped and planned for. Mini Hitler sits in jail

 

[gangsta_rap]

Based expats

This isn't 'based' or whatever first world discord-speak terminology that you casually felt the need to use in expressing your approval.

This is vindictiveness. Sanctions won't hurt the elite in Pakistan. It won't hurt the westernized elite in Pakistan that back the former PM either.

It'll result in damage that will make the poor downtrodden Pakistanis even more vulnerable. Nobody considers the impact to them. Nobody thinks about them at all.

 

[truthseer]

This isn't 'based' or whatever first world discord-speak terminology that you casually felt the need to use in expressing your approval.

This is vindictiveness. Sanctions won't hurt the elite in Pakistan. It won't hurt the westernized elite in Pakistan that back the former PM either.

It'll result in damage that will make the poor downtrodden Pakistanis even more vulnerable. Nobody considers the impact to them. Nobody thinks about them at all.

OSP's will pretend they care about Pakistan, then will repond with stuff like, it's already bad for everyone but elite, while living in USA, paying taxes to drone Pakistanis