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Paradoxes of a Non-Resident Pakistani

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Maybe someone should tell the writer we're called Overseas Pakistanis, Indians use the term Non-Resident.

Although I would agree with this. A few days back I was talking about this with some other people that there is a real issue with Overseas Pakistanis.

Two big extremes are messing it up: Amreekanized Pakistanis and Amreekan Paindus (Paindu = villager, colloquially used for a simpleton though. I just use the American term, it can be used for all overseas countries where we go as expats, ME included). Third category which I think finds a decent balance Americanized Pakistanis.

The first category is ready to sell their soul for Pakistan, everything in Pakistan is abhorrent to them and even the poop of their adopted country is better than Pakistani poop and they will fight to their death to argue about it.

The other category never learns anything good from the positives of their adopted country. Assimilation seems like a bad word, but even a basic understanding of who the people of their adopted country are is not there. This in turn causes resentment to appear and screw up things for all overseas Pakistanis. The first category digs in deeper, tries to scrub off their Pakistaniness.

The third category has a nice balance. It will without a doubt continue to have real feelings for Pakistan and their critique would be on merit. Criticize Pakistan's bad where its bad but their words don't sound like treason (granted their dual nationalities may put a legal fine point question on what is treason and what is not, but I'm just talking about perception). They have learned the good stuff about right and wrong (obviously most adopted countries have a better security and law and order situation) and apply it equally in all things.

The article doesn't distinguish between these three types, I don't know about the writer, but it seems she lives in Pakistan or has lived there considerably. There's a type within Pakistan that just feels better to look down upon Overseas Pakistanis because we are living in various comforts and while they are roughing it in Pakistan. Can't blame them totally but once again that comes from lack of total understanding of an overseas Pakistani's situation.
 
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the kind of pakistanis i see overseas are from blue collar lower middle class mostly, in the US, UK etc , non-gulf. there are a minority of rich upper class kids mostly with some connection to the govt/army. the upper class kids because of their resources typically do well at school but dont have the patince to dig in and do the hard work as they feel they are entitled. the lower class do not get beyond taxis. there is a very miniscule middle class professional class.
Whereas indians there are all 3 present. there are a bunch of taxiwallas, patel motel etc. then you have the upper middle class professionals the doctors, engineers who so make india proud. you have now started seeing them even in non-traditional professions like journalism arts etc. think ali velshi, fareed zakaria, night shyamalan, etc.
the elite of india somehow are not too prominent in the US unlike the elite of pakistan.
and of course the kids of the IT guys who went ther ein the 90s are also huge nowadays. ialtho i personally dont care for it, you see these stupid spelling bees and other competitions being dominated by indian kids.
paksitanis just fade into the background when compared to these guys.
 
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Well you ARE being racist and you know it. What an outlandish generalisation to make- I myself am 6ft 2 pretty fair in complexion and not skinny. In fact the above description doesn't apply at all well to most Indians I know or have seen here or in India but it fits just as well to Pakistanis and Indians. To make such claims against a nation of 1.2 BILLION is just unbelievably ignorant. And tell me for all your racial purity/superiority where has it got Pakistan?


+what utter drivel.

I'm going to have to agree with you, you can't generalize an entire nation - you will find short, tall, skinny, fat, strong, weak and people of all kinds, especially in such a large population. But it is what it is. People love to stereotype others and that's unfortunately how people will describe Indians, and even Pakistanis & Bangladeshis. When you ask them to picture one - that's the first and only thing they ever see. The human mind is programmed naturally this way - people love grouping others in similar fashions and forming stereotypes.

The ONLY thing people should be allowed to make comparisons off of, is the average value of the trait of the members of a respective nation. Even then, they have to taken in account for any large amounts of differences from different states from that country.

the kind of pakistanis i see overseas are from blue collar lower middle class mostly, in the US, UK etc , non-gulf. there are a minority of rich upper class kids mostly with some connection to the govt/army. the upper class kids because of their resources typically do well at school but dont have the patince to dig in and do the hard work as they feel they are entitled. the lower class do not get beyond taxis. there is a very miniscule middle class professional class.
Whereas indians there are all 3 present. there are a bunch of taxiwallas, patel motel etc. then you have the upper middle class professionals the doctors, engineers who so make india proud. you have now started seeing them even in non-traditional professions like journalism arts etc. think ali velshi, fareed zakaria, night shyamalan, etc.
the elite of india somehow are not too prominent in the US unlike the elite of pakistan.
and of course the kids of the IT guys who went ther ein the 90s are also huge nowadays. ialtho i personally dont care for it, you see these stupid spelling bees and other competitions being dominated by indian kids.
paksitanis just fade into the background when compared to these guys.
you haven't visited the US or Canada or UK so I doubt you've seen any pakistanis at all
you are basing your opinions based purely on anecdotal evidence and also being biased

the fact is in developed countries, almost all immigrants tend to well; the immigrants who do better do so because there might be a larger percentage and well established network of citizens from his/her country already there, so they tend to get not only moral support but financial support as well. There are far more Indians living abroad than Pakistanis, and if you look at it purely from a numbers perspective, more successful Indians tend to migrate because they were considered the 'cream of the crop' and were selected for their visas competing amongst the one billion Indians back home.

I have to agree that Indians abroad, can also be diversified amongst the 3 classes - you'll get your usual 7/11 owner, your accountant, and your neurosurgeon in every city - but you're being a bit racist, and have to acknowledge that Pakistanis living abroad can also be split amongst the 3 classes.

There are many Pakistani doctors, lawyers, engineers, and even politicians abroad so you can't completely disregard that fact. Likewise, there are also Pakistanis that can be found on the lower end of the spectrum, working as taxi drivers and at take-away restaurants.
 
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I'm going to have to agree with you, you can't generalize an entire nation - you will find short, tall, skinny, fat, strong, weak and people of all kinds, especially in such a large population. But it is what it is. People love to stereotype others and that's unfortunately how people will describe Indians, and even Pakistanis & Bangladeshis. When you ask them to picture one - that's the first and only thing they ever see. The human mind is programmed naturally this way - people love grouping others in similar fashions and forming stereotypes.
true.. in the 60s people had avision of indians as a thin scrawny uy wearing only a loin cloth like a snake charmer or maybe a thin malnourished farmer. I gues Pak are still stuck in that vision. not your fault as your exposure to the outside world ahs diminsihed since the time of zia
nowadays i have seen several cartoons of indians being seen as fat (like corrupt neta) or geeky depicting the IT and professionals like Asok in dilbert. this is the recall factor in todays world.
For overseas pakistanis have been unable to build a brand of their own like NRIs and thats why the recall factor of pakistanis are like bearder mulahs toting wepons of choice and radicleised.
 
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true.. in the 60s people had avision of indians as a thin scrawny uy wearing only a loin cloth like a snake charmer or maybe a thin malnourished farmer. I gues Pak are still stuck in that vision. not your fault as your exposure to the outside world ahs diminsihed since the time of zia
nowadays i have seen several cartoons of indians being seen as fat (like corrupt neta) or geeky depicting the IT and professionals like Asok in dilbert. this is the recall factor in todays world.
For overseas pakistanis have been unable to build a brand of their own like NRIs and thats why the recall factor of pakistanis are like bearder mulahs toting wepons of choice and radicleised.
Overseas Pakistanis have kept it smooth. Check up on your facts before making claims like that. Look at the life & establishments Pakistanis in the UK & Canada have made - refer to YouTube or relevant organizations on the website for more information.

It's only Pakistanis back home being branded with those stereotypes.

Likewise, don't think India is free from any stereotypes. Otherwise America wouldn't continue to make movies depicting only Indian slums and view of India as poor. :lol:
 
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you haven't visited the US or Canada or UK so I doubt you've seen any pakistanis at all
you are basing your opinions based purely on anecdotal evidence and also being biased
I have lived in the US for 5 years on the trot (being in the IT sector) and worked in bay area (3 years), DC area 1 year and denver (1 year) I also stayed in NY for about 3 months. however during this time (I was a bachelor and 90% of my college mates are in US) i have travelled all over US and canada.
I have stayed (I wouldnt say lived unlike my US time) and worked in UK (London's canary wharf) for a big projcet roll out for about 1 year in 3 stints. I have been in singapore for about 3and half to 4 years now.
I have come across people from all nationlaties while in these jobs incl Pak. and I speak from personal interactions, experince and observation. Most of my cousins who grew up with me in Ind are now in US (thas what respetable tamil brahmins do, i guess) after studying computer science (again cliched) my only sister is also in the US and have all got their citizenship. so i am not BS ing.

Overseas Pakistanis have kept it smooth. Check up on your facts before making claims like that. Look at the life & establishments Pakistanis in the UK & Canada have made - refer to YouTube or relevant organizations on the website for more information.

It's only Pakistanis back home being branded with those stereotypes.

Likewise, don't think India is free from any stereotypes. Otherwise America wouldn't continue to make movies depicting only Indian slums and view of India as poor. :lol:
slumdog is british production.
nowadys the TV show Outsourced is more typical indian caicature.
also the character mohinder suresh in that weirdo show depicts indians
 
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true.. in the 60s people had avision of indians as a thin scrawny uy wearing only a loin cloth like a snake charmer or maybe a thin malnourished farmer. I gues Pak are still stuck in that vision. not your fault as your exposure to the outside world ahs diminsihed since the time of zia
nowadays i have seen several cartoons of indians being seen as fat (like corrupt neta) or geeky depicting the IT and professionals like Asok in dilbert. this is the recall factor in todays world.
For overseas pakistanis have been unable to build a brand of their own like NRIs and thats why the recall factor of pakistanis are like bearder mulahs toting wepons of choice and radicleised.

Bro, Indians are seen as call center boys with fleas surrounding them...
 
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Two big extremes are messing it up: Amreekanized Pakistanis and Amreekan Paindus (Paindu = villager, colloquially used for a simpleton though. I just use the American term, it can be used for all overseas countries where we go as expats, ME included). Third category which I think finds a decent balance Americanized Pakistanis.

Th.
There are no paindus in America or Canada.

The paindus are all in the UK, Saudi Arabia, Dubai etc.:wave:
 
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Overseas Pakistanis have kept it smooth. Check up on your facts before making claims like that. Look at the life & establishments Pakistanis in the UK & Canada have made - refer to YouTube or relevant organizations on the website for more information.

It's only Pakistanis back home being branded with those stereotypes.

Likewise, don't think India is free from any stereotypes. Otherwise America wouldn't continue to make movies depicting only Indian slums and view of India as poor. :lol:
7/11 London? Glasgow?
Faisal Shazad?

Bro, Indians are seen as call center boys with fleas surrounding them...
i am not responding to that, as you are not in for a discussion

There are no paindus in America or Canada.

The paindus are all in the UK, Saudi Arabia, Dubai etc.:wave:
i used to play in bay area cricket clubs. there are many many oaindus (both from pak and from indian punjab ) in bay area. they come from a farming community in a place called yerba buena and tracy. they have not let go off their rustic roots after living there for so long.
 
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Bro, Indians are seen as call center boys with fleas surrounding them...
wasn't there an article of Indian call center people calling Americans + Canadians and trying to commit a scam by proposing to the victims that they have a fake virus on their computer? :meeting:

Or was that Bangladeshi callers?

7/11 London? Glasgow?
Faisal Shazad?


i am not responding to that, as you are not in for a discussion


i used to play in bay area cricket clubs. there are many many oaindus (both from pak and from indian punjab ) in bay area. they come from a farming community in a place called yerba buena and tracy. they have not let go off their rustic roots after living there for so long.

Indians are known to run the 7/11 shops, convenience stores and taxi services. Pakistanis & Bangladeshis as well. you can't deny this. It's the most common stereotype of all time.

I keep hearing about this Bay Area. I just searched Bay Area Pakistanis on google, and found some random organizations. Anyways im not going to comment because I don't know anyone from Bay Area or the situation there.

7/11 London? Glasgow?
Faisal Shazad?
7/11 in America. I don't know anything about Indians in UK.

Do you watch the Simpsons?

Do you know the character Apu?

:wave::lol:
 
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She speaks truth. I have experienced it during my visits to the good ole land of uncle Sam.

However the behavior of Pakistanis from first generation immigrants is not too different from other immigrants even from parts of Europe.

What really brings downs Pakistanis in North America (US and Canada) is not so much of their longing for Pakistan. That should be just fine. The problem lies with Islamism and the level at which it is prevalent among Pakistanis.

Palestine and UN mandate is a good starting point to bring most of the Pak-immigrants into full boil even after consuming pounds of biryani.

You see Pakistani immigrants in a group, say the magic word Palestine, and see how the silverware flies off the table.

This has caused several young men of Pakistani origin to commit (or try to commit) horrendous crimes against their host countries.

Other than the Islamist disease (and a serious disease BTW), Pakistani immigrants are doing what most of the other immigrants do.


peace, .

Which is why i believe that the Islamist extremist mentality lot should be sent on a one way trip back to Pakistan.
 
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wasn't there an article of Indian call center people calling Americans + Canadians and trying to commit a scam by proposing to the victims that they have a fake virus on their computer? :meeting:

Oh god.....dude, that's the story from "One night @ the call center" by Chetan Bhagat. Seriously dude....wtf ?
 
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