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In a letter published by a an English newspaper, Rehan Zamin seems very perturbed about Shahbaz Sharif being called son of the soil. After all what is so wrong in being called son of the soil, if you are born in that country? It is better than the identification of being a Muhajir even after you are born in a country.
The status of a migrant or a Muhajir is only a transitory phase, till you get the nationality status, or is an expressed intent that you have not accepted that country as a permanent home. There are lots of Pakistanis who travel with pregnant wives against doctors advice to USA and Canada, so that their children automatically get that nationality on the basis of being son of the soil.
Shahbaz Sharif, whose father migrated from Indian Punjab, must be proud of being a Pakistani and is as much a son of the soil as any other Pakistani. The Sharif brothers tried desperately to come back to this country, when Musharraf denied them that right, which they enjoy in accordance with the Constitution. We only hope that every Pakistani feels this urge to be a son of the soil and loves this country as a son loves his mother.
This country suffers because a few elite citizens make a lot of "Hay while the Sun shines", but then transfer all their assets to foreign bank accounts. Rehan would have been within his right if he had demanded of the Sharif family to relocate all their foreign assets back to Pakistan. He should have demanded that assets owned by family of Shaukat Aziz, Pervez Musharraf, Zardari, Rahman Malik, Altaf Hussain, etc, must be transferred back to Pakistan, for all of them acquired 90% of these assets by virtue of being Pakistanis and the opportunities provided by this country.
Pakistan was definitely not created so that people who claim nationhood on the basis of religion alone, without any ideological commitment, can plunder its limited resources and transfer it to foreign bank accounts. This country is home to over 160 million people, who have chosen to live in it till they die and hope that their children and grandchildren continue to live in it. People should be proud to be called Pakistanis and son of the soil.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2008

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