Dubai: There is an immediate need to launch a comprehensive assistance plan for Pakistani expatriates who are returning to their country - often from the Gulf region - after either retiring or losing their jobs, said newly elected Pakistani Senator Abdul Nabi Bangash.
"I will [seek to] persuade the Pakistani government to launch a retirement plan for overseas Pakistanis in addition to protecting their properties and the lives of their families back home," he said.
Bangash is a prominent Pakistan businessman based in Dubai and has been elected as senator unopposed on the ticket of the Awami National Party (ANP) from North West Frontier Province (NWFP). The senate is the Upper House in the parliamentary system in use in Pakistan, and senators are elected for a period of six years.
The ANP, a liberal political party from a province known for being a hub of religious fanatics and the Taliban, shares power with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the NWFP and is also a major ruling partner with the PPP government at the federal level.
It is the first time that an expatriate Pakistani based in Dubai has been elected as a senator.
Following are excerpts from his interview.
Gulf News: What drove you to become a senator?
Abdul Nabi Bangash: My colleagues and party supporters in the UAE pushed me to apply for the senate seat. I am grateful to our party leadership for having me elected unopposed.
In fact, I never aspired to be a senator and it was not planned at all. But I am a born political worker because my grandfather worked with great Pakhtoon leader Khan Gaffar Khan (commonly known as Bachha Khan) and my father was a political activist who worked with Khan Wali Khan. I have been a supporter of the ANP and now work with ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan. I think, as a senator, I can serve my people better and raise their concerns at the highest level.
What are your plans to solve the problems Pakistani expatriates face abroad?
Since the day I came to the UAE some 19 years ago, I have been actively involved in social and welfare activities to help resolve the issues facing Pakistanis living in the UAE. As a senator, I will be able to take their issues to the parliament to seek speedy solutions.
What kind of problems do you think the Pakistani community is facing in the Gulf region?
Every government in Pakistan takes expatriates for granted and thinks that they are just "money making machines". The government expects huge remittances from them and in return they get no benefits.
The most important issue is that they have nowhere to go after retirement because they don't get citizenship in [their host] countries. But unfortunately, our government has not prepared any assistance plans to help them resume their lives back home.
I will try to persuade the government to launch a retirement plan and at least start a pension scheme. Also, their children should get enough seats in schools, colleges and universities.
Do you think overseas Pakistanis should get the right to vote in the general elections?
Of course, yes. It is very unfortunate that they have not been given the right to vote so far. I would even go one step further and ask the government to allow overseas Pakistanis to elect their representatives from amongst the expatriate community. They should get at least six seats including one senator, one member of the National Assembly and four members of the provincial assemblies for each province.
Many expatriates say that you are a Pakthoon and will therefore only help Pakhtoons. How do you respond to this?
These are baseless allegations. I am proud to be a Pakthoon but I take greater pride in being a Pakistani. I always try to help people in need without discriminating. I consider myself a senator of all Pakistanis living abroad and my doors are open for every one.
As an expatriate, you have been critical of Pakistani missions in the UAE. Would you do anything to improve their work here?
Officials working at the Pakistani missions abroad are also our Pakistani brothers, but they need to improve their attitude towards the community. There is a room for improvement in their services. They need to work closely with the community members to help them solve their problems instead of trying to rule over them. There are some genuine problems that need to be addressed as a priority.
What to do you think of the current political crisis in Pakistan? Do you think it will derail the democratic process?
It is very unfortunate that Pakistan Muslim Leage (N) Chief Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif have been disqualified. The ANP also strongly condemns the Governor's Rule imposed in Punjab, despite being ruling partner with the PPP government, because we believe in provincial autonomy and politics of tolerance.
Both Sharifs and President Asif Ali Zardari had suffered in the past, spent time in exile and also behind the bars. They should understand the implication of creating such a grave political crisis. I hold both the parties responsible. I think they did not learn from their past mistakes. They should work together to keep the democratic process on track. Although it is not an ideal democratic set-up, it is much better than a dictatorship.
Does your party support the restoration of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohamamad Chaudhry and support the lawyers' "long march" planned for March 12?
Our party stands for the restoration of an independent judiciary and not any individual. We have asked our coalition partner to present a constitutional package in the House to have an independent judiciary, which must not be influenced by anyone. We are not part of the lawyers' long march.
One of the main reasons for your party's alliance with the PPP was to have your province's name changed from NWFP to Pakhtoonkhwa. Is it happening?
In principle, President Zardari has agreed to change the colonial name of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) to Pakhtoonkhwa (land of Pakthoons). Very soon, it will be approved in the parliament. It is our right.
Will you accept if you are offered to become a minister?
No, because I have my business in Dubai and being a minister, I will not be able to fulfill my duties honestly.
Dubai There is a possibility of strong retaliation from militants in the Swat valley if the government fails to enforce Sharia law as promised by March 15, warned Senator Abdul Nabi Bangash.
"We have clearly given a message to government that the ANP will withdraw its support from the federal government if they show dishonesty in failing to implement Sharia Law as promised," Bangash told Gulf News in Dubai.
"God forbid, the situation will be out of control if the peace deal is not honoured by the government this time and the Qazi courts are not established by March 15."
Bangash, who is president of the Awami National Party (ANP) in the UAE - a party that backs the peace agreement between the government and groups in the troubled Swat Valley - said that the government has promised to enforce Sharia law in the Malakand Division, which includes Swat.
Sufi Mohammad, chief of the Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Sharia Mohammadi, who signed the deal with the government, has warned of retaliation by local Taliban if the deal is not honoured.
