A 9-year-old girl, accompanied by her mother, visited my clinic for “lack of oxygen” in her lungs (stated by the young girl)! History revealed that the family had been residents in Dubai for quite a long time. The girl was born there, but due to post-COVID-19 financial constraints, the family partially shifted back to Pakistan, with the father staying back.
The young girl couldn’t speak either Urdu or her mother tongue, Pashto, but could only converse in English. The mother said that the girl feels depressed and bored and keeps on saying, “I want to go back to Dubai.” When I asked her which place she liked, she said Dubai. When asked why, she replied, “because it is my country!”
Dr. Munawar Aziz
Another patient, a young thirty-year-old who was born in Dubai but did his bachelor’s here in Pakistan, went into extreme depression after not getting a job of “his liking” here and abroad. He was prescribed antidepressants by a psychiatrist, but he is still fighting to identify himself.
Dubai, with its diverse population and cosmopolitan environment, offers a melting pot of cultures and influences. Pakistani families residing in Dubai often find themselves immersed in a lifestyle that blends Western modernity with Middle Eastern traditions. This fusion creates a unique cultural landscape that shapes the experiences of the younger generation.
For many young Pakistanis returning from Dubai, navigating their identity becomes a journey of self-discovery and adaptation. The identity crisis faced by the offspring of Pakistanis returning from Dubai is a complex and multifaceted issue. It requires recognition, empathy, and proactive measures to address.
The identity crisis is not limited to Pakistani families living in the Middle East but also affects Pakistani families living in Europe, Canada, America, Australia, and other developed countries (which I call “organized countries” because development is an ongoing process; therefore, no country can be a fully developed country).
I wonder what the next generation is going to go through when ultimately they have to return to their native land. One can only pray and do one’s sincere duty to bring this country back on its feet economically. After achieving a stable economy, one can expect a reverse exodus, but for the time being, the psychological problems of the younger generation should be addressed through psychotherapy, family support, and educational institutions providing a conducive environment, especially for Pakistani students from abroad whom their parents want to settle in their native country.
Sailing on two boats, leads you no where!
- Dr. Munawar Aziz
Abbottabad, Pakistan.
aziz.munawar@gmail.com
