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| Credits: Mirsub Ali Fazlani. Yes, I know I wrote Diaspora wrong. Silly me. |
This is a Guest Post by Feriha Jazeb.
Life is full of endless twists & twirls but how you whether through them defines who you really are.
Enough has already been penned and reported on the issue, but we just don’t seem to come out of this eloquence.It seems baffling at first, the substance that GENERALLY, we trend to think that dwelling in another domicile, being international, is appealing all the time, but yes, ethics cannot be confined to an entire race, culture or civilization (States are not Planets Of Hats). Those who are sweating to adhere with Brits (This is the good idea), you will feasibly fail instead of whatever preparations you try, but you can do a fairly good job if you are entirely focused.
Let's turn on steam at Pakistani people living abroad,who had implanted themselves as British citizens, would never dump their British nationalities. Although by their tone, language, convention and customs, they are Pakistanis but by passport they are British nationals. They are modernized and adapting to western society. They have compensated their cultural tradition, heritage and identity for a western custom (Black on the outside, white on the inside i.e; coconut). They remain un-uttered about their national pedigree, just to avoid useless trouble. After every effort they made to hook up with Brits they are still not accepted and are sabotaged by western society. They in fact are marginalized. For British society they are “too black” or “too Asian and back home (i.e.,Pakistan) they are anticipated as “too white” or “too western\"(chocolate coated westerners). As we look further into this behavior, we realize that they do have genuine reasons. Pakistani Diaspora being slurred in their workplaces; our students being slammed and contra-distinguished against in the developed world, Pakistani passport raises eyebrows at airports. I can personally uphold for the straight stuff that anyone who is not a local or a gora, is subject to serious injustice, and Pakistanis too are pierced in a meticulous manner.
Let’s just altogether forget for a while about the overseas Pakistanis. It is sad to witness that Pakistanis who live at home speak Urdu in an English accent, almost as though it were ‘cool’ to stammer as long as reading Urdu, because you ‘forgot’ it. Treat dupattas as a clog on their feeble shoulders, wish to study abroad (“status symbol”) degrading themselves and their language in front of white people and try to blend in their system (where we are 2nd grade citizens with a weird accent.), which is so unlikely impossible...thence called 'Burger' (dying to be called ‘gora saab’!). I reckon why? For what? Not worth it,wanting to become westernized and seeing this as development But in real it’s all because of our mental captivity. By confessing the West’s superiority, we give up our integrity, our honor and our society.
The most that has affected people is certainly cynicism and stereotypes that, now becoming reciprocal for Pakistanis, either living in Pakistan or abroad. Cynicism, I vision is predominant in our people but the fact is that we can bring change for the better! (and please! stop making an elephant out of fly) We just need to illuminate our souls not to hand over Pakistan. So what we actually need is to live in the modern world but without simply portraying blindly the designs made by the West.
This is my first attempt at writing. If I get enough response (we never have enough) next time you hear from me i will be writing tips for "how to fake a British accent" (for those who are really interested).
Admins response: As someone whose lived outside Pakistan for quite a bit, I can relate to it. It does feel like we don't fit in both worlds, but it's not like it isn't possible. Every migrant group feels this way in the beginning, even the early white eastern European immigrants in America (even though they looked the same as the "natives"). But assimilation is all part of the progress. Pakistan can be an example, early Muhajir migrants from India faced discrimination (That's what the Muhatima Quami Movement was found). Now they're accepted as Pakistanis and valuable members of society. Now look at the Afgan migrants, they speak Urdu with a funny accent, aren't accepted as Pakistanis widely, even those who have been born here and lived their entire lives. See where I'm going at? It's not that, they're dumping their culture, though I'm aware of the wannabes you speak of, it's part of the progress.
Maybe the case in England is slightly different to that of the U.S or Canada due to Pakistan and it's shared history. Many have assimilated, are considered British citizens by the masses and aren't thought of as 2nd grade citizens, aren't known as that foreigner with that weird accent, they speak the same way as the populous. I know some British Pakistanis who do share some traits you speak of but if you put them in their shoes Britain IS their home, if they want to associate with a a place they go to one every 3-4 years for a month is their choice. And they shouldn't be considered wannabe 'goras' or mocked because of it. Many members of the Indian diaspora assimilated, sure that may be stereotyped as convenience store owners, now as skilled workers but are considered part of North America's shared migrant culture. Same as British Pakistanis, I mean with a population of 1+million plus there's no going back I'm afraid.
It's best to make peace with what you've got. And let's not forget about mix-raced Pakistanis...this world is grey, not straightforward as black and white.
