Britain In the Eyes Of Pakistanies

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Note:this is just my point of view and is not necessarily directly linked to the topic in most parts of my post.

its not just London or the US of A or Canada, you oughta check out Dubai or the whole of United Arab Emirates, boy is that full of Pakistani's!, personally I hate Dubai, Abu Dhabi is nice and so is Sharjah (but is too similar to Qatar and Bahrain which are like Karachi but a hell of a lot cleaner), the rest of Emirates is a nice place but I hate Dubai for every inch of its land (no offense to any one living in Dubai, its just my personal opinion) but sadly I have to visit that Godforsaken place every once a month on company purposes (mostly to manage Kuwaiti holdings in Dubai), most of my hatred towards is for the fact that Pakistani's see that place as a Gold Mine which it is but only for Billionaires and Investors, a working class man can't have a life there, well not a happy well settled life that is, living in Dubai is the equivalent to living in central London or Moscow, you know that chocolate bar is not worth the money you're paying but the U.K is riddled with taxes (I wouldn't be surprised if the HM Department charged me for blinking) and Dubai isn't much, but yet its so friggin' expensive.

personally I love where I live my life even though I'd rather be in Pakistan then here but there are reasons behind that too .... personal reasons, Kuwait has its draw backs but they don't seem much of an issue when in comparison to Dubai or any other place/country, Kuwait is one place a Pakistani doesn't want to be for some reason that I don't know of, well I'd say this right here is the Gold Mine for me, for starters I've got no taxes to pay at all, I earn in U$D about a little over $186,000 over a period of one year which is 50,000 Kuwaiti Dinars and I don't have to pay a single penny in income tax or any tax what so ever, so I get to keep every single coin that I earn which to me is of great satisfaction that I am not paying it people who'll just stuff them into there own pockets in the end, where as on the other hand my cousin in London earns 50,000 GBP's a year and he ends up paying 40% of it just in income tax and who the F*** would want to pay tax on the road they drive on, me NEVER!!, people who I knew when I was in London (I completed one year of my education there and my last year of education was spent in UCSB Santa Barbara, CA, US of A) were always on about how cool the U.K is and they feel they've accomplished so much by moving there, I personally having the experience of life there will say that I probably wasted an year of my life.

another point to be noticed is the people we leave behind in Pakistan, most of them tend to think that we just turned into instant billionaires when we moved and start expecting alot more then acceptable, for instance if right now I were to go back to Pakistan bankrupt the people there would possibly think that my pockets are full even when they are empty, they tend to mock us by saying how much better off we are then them, that is what pisses me off.

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Re: Britain In the Eyes Of Pakistanies

They think ppl take free money out of the hole in the wall … :rolleyes:

but they dont kno money has to be put into the hole for it to be taken out.. :crying:

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Hello every one, I am new to this forum just signed up and seen this first post, Felt like its my time to let it out and share my experiance about this country.

Part 1
I graduated from New York, my dad was not well so i went back to pakistan. After 3 months he past away. I was only son of my mom, and had one younger sister. So It was my time to take responsiblities and be there for my family. My father was well known businessman in pakistan, but after he past away every thing was finished. I tried quite few jobs , businesses but was not easy for me to achive success, as it was all new to me. when father was alive, i lived my life like a prince, but realised after that, what parents do for us so we can live our life in comfart.

We had family friends in karachi, who often use to visit us, they had a daughter who use to like me alot, and was madly in love with me, after knowing so i started liking her aswell, and than i told my mother. I was 24 when we got married. Life was like can never be better than that. Every thing was so nice and good. After 1 year, Allah blessed us with baby girl. We were very happy and she was so cute. Financial problems were getting worst tho, than a time came and i gave up and like other pakistani i also started thinking to go back abroad to live with my family. I tried usa, but visa was refused. than i tried canada also got refused last was UK, and i was granted 6 months visitor visa, and i was over the moon but there was one problem, our daughter didnt get visa but as people told us go there, apply for assylum and you can get your daugheter back with in days......TBC

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why do we think that all ppl in pak think Uk is some paradise or like some movie?
there are many who just want to get out and try to make it in the world because they were not getting the opportunities they could get in other places based on merit, or the opportunities simply were not there.

Lets not brand all ppl as greedy ppl thinkign about money growing on trees, there are many who want to move for education to to try and make more money than they would in pakistan while dealing with all issues of being away from family and friends living in an alien place, just to help their siblings or kids get a better life.

sorry to say by saudi arabia is no paradise but many pakistanis are eager to go there as well ands it aint for no love of holy places. no movie images and all there u know.

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Part 2
I sold my bike, borrowed some money from my uncle, took some savings from mom purchased tickets for myself and wife and exchanged £3000 (£1500 per pessanger showing money at airport to spend for holidays). was not easy for us, to leave my mom and child alone, but thought that was the best for all of us, as our first priority was with in days will get mom and daughter in UK. Day came we took flight from karachi to london and left every one for good with tears with some hope.

Landed at London Hethrow, Airport was not all that may be i was comparing to JFK airport after brief interveiw at immigration desk we came out of Airport, first thing i seen was Black Cab, i always had that image of britain from movies spooky streets, old style living , ancient buildings and yes thats how it felt, quite backward.

We didnt knew any one in UK. Apart from one friend of my father in law who didnt showed up on airport. We stopped a black cab, didnt had any idea where to go so told him please take us to nearest asian area neigbourhood. After few minutes he dropped us at Southall, Broadway. It was arround 8pm we were standing on on footpath with lugage no where to go. I tried to find hotel, or guest house, found one was pretty expensive for night but was smaller than my house in pakistan so i gave it miss. and start looking for other options. Than i decided to call the person who suppose to come to pick us up at airport. Well he gave us address and asked to come down. We hired taxi and went there, we were told that they been to airport but couldnt find us.(which was not true). Any ways, we end up in their box room. Spent first night.....TBC

How r u feeling right now?
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Part 3
First day in London, was told i need to find job if i want to live here and was told it will cost me 60 to stay in that box room if its more than 1 or 2 days. I accepted it but mean while i started looking for job and place to live aswell. So went to shops, takeways, resturants on king street, no luck as we were asked for experiance which we never had. After couple of days job search we were offered a job by same ppls where we were living as they were running recruitment agency. It was in catering near Hethrow. 8 hours shift standing all day emptying food trolleys. Me and my wife both were glad to find job, end of the day after 8 hours shift of non stop standing feet were swollen. We use to be very happy when manager use to announce if any one wants double shift we have over time options. so we use to go for 16 hours shift. After first week wage, we decided to move out and get a room on rent which we found after few hours of strugle for £70 / week. Never imagined my self living with my wife in a single room but thats how every one could only live i think there, there is no way to afford a house for one family as it comes upto £1000 / month plus rates and bills, so we decided to to stick to a room as we were not the only one. Well we moved out, I bought a car aswell first week to get to work was my first car Honda Accord, purchased it cheap only £400 i was very happy, felt like yes it was never possible if i would be in Pakistan we made the right choice by coming to this country. I could see my dreams come true.

Now it was time to start sorting things out for my mother and daughter to get them here, and get our immigration matter sorted. We went to quite few solicitors, legal aid centres but no advice was given, every one kept telling go back to your country its not possible. But how can we give up we had a dream, It was like our last hope to settle down in this country. We were recomended a solicitor in Hunslow who suppose to be the best in Assylum cases, he was on assylum himself :) so we assumed who can know better than him. We were charged £800 and we made up a story of family vilonce etc etc as per his recomendation and applied for assylum, and were told thats for me and my wife's application and will be sorted very soon. we were happy. Called home, told mother that soon she be here, things be ok.

6 weeks past, our agency told us, no more jobs available at catering any more as they have lost the contract. So job hunt started again. We were sent to a mail sorting company for few days , Its been another 4 weeks we didnt get paid, the person where we stayed first day who was sending us for works was short with money and requested if we can borrow him 1500 as he is short with payments to pay out his staff so we did as he helped us. we were running out of money, one day we didnt had any thing to eat as we were not paid for 8 weeks. Requested him to give us some payment we need some thing to live on and for expenses and eid was coming suppose to send some thing to back home aswell, and also if we can get that 1500 back so can send it back home as it was borrowed, but in reply he was very rude i stayed quite and went home. We didnt eat for 2 days / 2 nights....TBC

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so sunny, where in NY did you graduate from?

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Part 4
The company I was working in was a very well known English firm, who use to do despatch for few big banks. I use to be at mail sorting department, in night shifts. Wife found job on Broadway in a jewllery shop. I use to stand all night, do mail sorting than lift 25 KG bags load them in the van it was routine of every day. I was quite stressed out as wages issue ws not sorted but i didnt had any other option. Its not easy to find work without NI number in UK so i was kind of forced due to circumstances to stick to that job.

One day data entry staff took day off at work and managers were very stressed out, as all despatch jobs suppose to be entered in system. It was quite old data entry system. I realised managers were quite panic with work load. after finishing my shift i told them if they need any help with entery i can help them as i was good with typing, the minute i said it they jumped from their seat and let me sit and see what i can do. They were impressed, and next thing i found i was offered a job as data entry clerk. I worked there for few days, manager was very kind person he realised that i am stressed out with some problems when he asked me i told him about situation that its been more than 12 weeks we not paid. It was not only me there were few other guys who were very upset about not getting paid as his sister was getting married and he suppose to send money etc.

Next day i recived a letter from my recuruitment company that i am fired from job, because of my negligence at work ! but it was because manager spoke to them and told them they pay them on time, why they not paying there staff, and when they seen my letter, again they told them off, take this letter back or else they will cancel the contract with that recruitment company. Well they took the letter back and paid other guys aswell and after one week again gave me letter that my services are no more required. But this time that company decided to offer me permanent position, but i told them i cannot work with you because i dont have work permmission. I am just a visitor, didnt wanted to lie. He suggested me that speak to your solicitor and ask them to request for work permission to home office. I requested my solicitor and he wrote to home office for work permission and was charged for that letter again £300 . In few days i recieved a reply from home office which had interview date and scanning date in Crydon. Me and my wife went there for interview. Next thing we found we were detained. and they were sending us in detention centre its like a prison but similar to Hostels where they keep immigrants who apply for assylum.... TBC

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[FONT=Times New Roman]No body think UK as a paradise if any one like to move out of the country just because they want to get rid of the some problems they are facing here like law and order situation, class differences job crises money importance than merit etc etc but still I know too many people who love this country just because this is our own belonging our identity I love to stay and live with my own identity rather to have luxurious life out of Pakistan it is our paradise...

[FONT=Times New Roman]

Wafa kay silsilay
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Lugardia College

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u sydney walle are funny people :)

ive grown up in Aus and all my friends are either born-bred aussies (but from pak origin) or have been here since infant ages.. and they all are very much in-tune with their pakistan heritage..

not everyones the same..

generalisation needs to stop

back to the actual topic: I have relos who think nothing of europe and western countries cus they have all the money and things they need... they consider (OZ) worst than a pind.. lol

The educated ones are better though. They dont think its heaven, but they realise that they maybe need to get out of Pak to invest and develop a future for their kids..

When your sad
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i just realised i gernalised too.. my bad.. we love u sydney walle people :) really we do

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I said Few Families that i Know Not all..........

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Part 5 (last part)
Those days, elections were due, increasing number of assylum seekers was a big topic, Govt announced a simply solution Fast track , all applications to be dealt with in 7 days. Human right organisations were not happy with this decision tho, any ways my application for assylum was forwarded to fast track department aswell, We called our solicitor told him about situation, and his reply was sorry i cannot come right now please find any legal aid solicitor (Govt Paid Solicitor) and i told him look we have paid you so we need you now here, his reply was oh well that was my counsultancy charges, sorry i cannot help you. Well interview day came, we had no clue what to say, or what will be our statement as it was our first interview. We mixed up few bollywood movies and made up one masala story. Seems like they seen that movie too, and they refused our assylum application. Gave us a letter after 9 days to leave the country and let us go from detention centre. They sent us to Glasgow, accomodation was arranged by Home office, all our stuff, lugage was in london. train ticket was provided by homeoffice aswell. So our next destination was Glasgow, So we reached glasgow, as i said wife was not feeling well she was hospitalised for few days in detention centre, now we had to walk for 3 miles approx to get to property which was provided us by homeoffice. Landlord suppose to be there with keys, after 1 hour walk we reached there, and surprise surprise, no one was there. it was 7pm now and we were sitting out side no where to go. all we had was £5 emergency voucher given by homeoffice which was only excepted on one store. Now it was 11pm still no one was there, It was not very friendly area, i could feel racisim in the air. A lady from next door came out, asked us what we doing here on street at this time , so we explained her situation. She tried calling homeoffice for us, but all offices were closed at that time, so she had no choice but call local police and ask for help. In 15 minutes police arrived, took us to police station for night, so in life first time we spent a night in police station.

Next day house land lord arrived, said sorry for the trouble, and took us to new property and gave us keys. as we only had £5 of emergency voucher, it only lasted us 2 days, we suppose to get weekly payment from homeoffice to feed ourself as we were not allow to work. But for good 3 weeks we didnt recived any thing, a good friend who we met in london i knew him from pakistan just a little bit, came to glasgow from london, helped us out, purchased grocery and food for us.

8 months past we came to to UK, we contacted one more solictor to discuss future strategy and to know our rights, we had new hope , that we can submit application again on human rights grounds and we need to get home office sympthy. So we submited new application. after few months i had a baby boy. life moved on.

I started work at a pizza shop. as we didnt had to pay rent or bills, so it ws enough for me to work and another good thing was we were not living in london, so it was not expensive as london. than i found more oppurtunities, i moved on we use to go to police station every month to report, if 5 minutes late we use to be threatend to be deported. Good thing was that we were still in UK, but how we living every day was not easy. I gave up. It was getting too much for me, i couldnt live with these restrictions any more. so i decided to stop following the home office restrictions, and do some thing for my family and future, while my wife carry on with the case so atleast one day things can be ok , or incase if they refuse this application so i can be a survival to my family as i didnt wanted to be sent back my family, kids, wife were depending on me. i started different job, than my own business, worked day and night worked very hard.

7 Years past, Now my son was 6 years old and my daughter was 8 years son was born here, but daughter was still in Pakistan. How these 7 years past we know. Things goes well with my work, I opened a warehouse, i was trading as wholeseller, importing from china and selling, i purchased a car of £25,000 cash. opened two more franchises in different part of countries. I opened business for my wife which she is running now, Even tho i was not legal in this country as i was not any more on assylum application with my wife because i was not livinig on that property so my name was removed. I had staff of 14 people working for me, i still couldnt get my mother and daughter here, because i didnt wanted to make same mistake what we did i wanted to come them as legal immigrants. So i waited as my wifes application was still due.

One day (6 months before today ) i recived call from my wife, She have recived letter from home office, and she and my son got Indefinate leave to remain in UK. Can you imagine how i must have felt ? eyes full of tears, after all that pain and hard time we spent togather finally we got what we wanted ? i cannot explain how it felt, even right now i am typing and my eyes are wet. I could see now my family togather, my mother, who i havnt met my daughter i was so happy, i was not worried about myself at all that what will happen to my application , i knew now she got her matter sorted, we can get a good solicitor and can get my issue resolved aswell.

8 weeks ago from today, my wife asked me to give a job to one of her friend's fiance as he was in need and had same immigration problem who recently lost his job, I knew him since last 4 years didnt liked him tho, dont know why, but as him and her fiance helped my wife few times so i said ok send him over i was in different city at my new franchise.

He arrived here, i provided him company accomodation, and job and put him on training with my staff, 6 weeks ago, he used my laptop, but forgot to close few web pages he was browsing, so when i got back on my laptop to use it, i was about to close the browser, i seen my wifes name on email, i read one, than other and than hundreds of emails, tears were keep falling from my eyes. him and my wife were having an affair since last 3 years and things i found out are still un beliveable to me.

I wont go in details, as my intention to disclose here is not to speak about my family matters but there are so many people out there like me who think they working hard for family but not giving time to there family some where when i was busy in life giving priority to our future, money , comfart i was missing to giving my family some attention. To me what i did was not wrong i done what any family man would have done, but if i would be happy for what i was getting in life i wouldnt go thruogh that pain .

Today we are seperated, the person who she living with is not legal in this country, now she is applying for his immigratin settlement, i left it for her to decide as she said she be happy with him, and she thinks he can give her more time , more attention than i can. but what ever i did from day 1, was for my family. I still love her, i wish i would never have come to this country , and it would never have happened. I am still trying to get my mother and daughter here, as i have not met them since last 8 years. Inshallah one day i will, that day i will cry so much and will ask them to forgive me for mistakes i made.

I understand that family dont need money, they need love, time, devotion but to live in this world to see your family happy you do need money you do need to achive alot. Its just a human nature, that we never gets happy with what we have.

Please do not ask me any questions, do not comment on my personal life or about my family, i love them too bits. who cares if they not with me, but i have spent my best time with them and have my best ever memories. Please do not post any thing it will hurt. I hope after reading this, it might save some families and help alot not to make same mistakes.

Allah Hafiz