THE least that can be expected of our Pakistani-origin dual nationals, who have no ulterior motives, is to realise and accept the facts as they exist. Nobody doubts their emotional bonds or sympathy and goodwill for Pakistan.

They can contribute to interfaith harmony and development of goodwill between nations.

However, no individual can be expected to be loyal to two separate countries at the same time, just like an individual cannot be expected to have faith in two different religions simultaneously.

When you take an oath of allegiance to any other country, you expressly and unequivocally renounce existing loyalties to all other countries.

In the US, all immigrants before they take an oath of citizenship are given about 100 questions which they are required to study and out of these questions they will be asked 10 questions.

Every immigrant who passes with at least 60 per cent correct answers qualifies for other tests such as ability to converse and write in English, apart from security clearance.

One of the most oft-asked questions is: “What is a rule of law?” The recommended answer to this query is: “No citizen is above the law.”

Those who advocate the right to hold public office for dual nationals in Pakistan must understand that an oath taken on the Holy Book is a commitment, including the oath of citizenship where you renounce your loyalty to all other countries other than the nation whose citizenship you are acquiring of your own free will.

Those dual nationals who still aspire to seek an elected or even paid public office must renounce their citizenship and take a fresh oath of loyalty to Pakistan, whereby they sign in writing their commitment to renounce their loyalty to all other countries, a copy of which should be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan, which must send a certified copy to the competent authority of the country whose nationality the individual held.

There should be neither any confusion nor any deliberate attempt to spin facts about dual nationals who, on oath, renounce their loyalty to their countries of origin.

Whilst the majority of our expatriates, including those who hold dual nationality, contribute to its economic welfare by their remittances, it is the few corrupt who desire to hold public office in Pakistan and are involved in massive flight of capital and money laundering that are the real culprits and responsible for the country’s economic ills.

MALIK T. ALI Bloomington, Illinois United States