ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan has approved dual citizenship for its citizens residing in Germany, allowing them to acquire German citizenship without being required to give up their Pakistani nationality.
This move fulfills a long-standing demand of overseas Pakistanis and is being hailed as a major development for the community.
According to the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment, this decision comes under an expansion of the national policy on dual citizenship as per the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951. Germany has now been added to the list of countries where Pakistani citizens can legally hold dual nationality. Officials stated that the ruling is grounded on Pakistan’s own policy and does not mean a change in German regulations.
A senior official from the Bureau indicated that the action was for the sake of the Pakistanis living in Germany and would allow them to keep their Pakistani citizenship and legal identity as well as rights even after becoming German nationals. Thus, they can still be regarded as owners and have the right to inherit and other civic privileges in Pakistan.
Currently, Pakistan provides for dual citizenship with 21 countries and the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, etc. are included in the list.
As per official sources, Germany hosts more than 150,000 Pakistanis and they are contributing heavily in the fields like IT, engineering, healthcare, automotive, research, and business.
According to official sources, there are more than 150,000 Pakistanis in Germany, and they are making their presence felt in the IT, engineering, healthcare, automotive, research, and business sectors. Community leaders believe that the decision will guarantee permanent legal protection, provide better job opportunities, and allow Pakistanis in Germany to have economic stability.
