Muhammad Dawood Pervez Ghazanavi belongs to a respectable Sayed Ghazanavi family which migrated to Pre-Partition India in the early years of the 20th century. The Ghazanavis hail from Ghazni, a province in Afghanistan. Before migration to Pre- Partition India, the Ghazanavi family was considered to be one of the ruling political classes in Afghanistan. The family while in politics in Afghanistan always stood against injustices and unjust decisions of the ruling elite, which became one of the reasons for the family to get self-exiled in the later stages. The Ghazanavi family has been involved in different social work since ages,and this family had made huge contributions in building schools, libraries, mosques throughout East Africa. Muhammad Dawood Pervez Ghazanavi was born in Sialkot, Pakistan. He received his early education in the USA and Pakistan. For higher education, at the age of 18, he proceeded to Uxbridge College, London for 2 years course to qualify for admission at University Undergraduate Degree in England. After finishing two years at Uxbridge College, London he was enrolled at Oxford Brookes, Oxford, for his Undergraduate degree in Management. After finishing his undergraduate degree in Management, he enrolled at Private law school named College of Law of England and Wales, now referred as University of Law, Guildford for finishing his LLB (Hons) degree. While finishing his LLB (Hons) degree, he was also enrolled to finish “Legal Practice Course LPC” in the University of Law, Guildford for training to be a Solicitor. He finished both LLB (Hons) degree and LPC together. During his stay in England for nearly a decade, he traveled extensively around the world and was engaged in many human rights activities and working along with different human rights organizations for raising voice for the fundamental rights of the oppressed people of the world. On his return to Pakistan, he was enrolled at Sialkot Bar Association and Lahore High Court, Lahore. As a young lawyer with passion and devotion for upholding the constitution of Pakistan, he at the age of 26, without having appeared in any court of Pakistan, became one of the 26 petitioners in Pakistan,
appeared in person in the Supreme Court of Pakistan in upholding of the fundamental rights, while challenging the constitutionality of the Government Contempt of Court Ordinance 2013 which was providing immunity to public office holders for not obeying the order of any courts of Pakistan, hence infringement of the Independency of Judiciary. The case was decided in favor of the petitioners. The Supreme Court declared the ordinance null and void in the eyes of law. It was a huge success for a fresh attorney to start his career from the highest forum in the Judiciary. Gaining confidence from the victory he got engaged in many other human rights cases in the higher courts of Pakistan in order to benefit
the public at large in the landmark cases as land reforms, the constitutionality of appointment of Special Assistant and Advisor Ordinance, scrutiny in selection of Managing Director/ CEO of the Public Sector Organizations, highlighting irregularities of Government during the floods in Pakistan, challenging the
constitutionality of tax amnesty schemes ordinance, overseas voting rights case etc. At the same time started his political career at the grassroots level, while contesting for Punjab Provincial Seat PP-123 in 2013By-elections. He lost the elections, but gained huge experience regarding the weaknesses of the electoral system in Pakistan and reforms needed for the system. He made many recommendations
to the election commission of Pakistan before 2013 General Elections for transparency in casting the vote of the Prisoners in Pakistani jails and the election staff, who are not available at their respective polling stations on the election days while on duty. During the election campaign in 2013 general elections, he
observed many incidents where overseas Pakistani while staying in overseas took active part in canvassing and campaigning of the contesting candidates within their respective constituency in Pakistan. The deprivation of their fundamental right to vote due to intentional negligence of the government of Pakistan while not providing mechanism for casting their vote, does not stop them from taking part in decision making of their homeland. The seriousness of overseas Pakistani while seeing them taking
active part in the decision making of their homeland, shook the young attorney. Despite not having the right to vote in elections in Pakistan, Pakistani Diaspora are still making effort from overseas to send their relatives, friends and people to the ballot box on the polling day. Pakistan had a huge voter turnout in 2013 general elections and it was also due to huge efforts by the overseas Pakistani. Overseas Pakistanis are over 8 million in number and are considered to be one of the largest diasporas in the world. He decided to fight for the fundamental right to vote of overseas Pakistani through Pakistani courts. He started his constitutional journey for Overseas Pakistanis’ voting rights while becoming counsel for the Overseas Pakistani petitioner in the Islamabad High court in 2014, for the implementation of the Supreme court judgment cited PLD 2014 SC 72, which has granted Overseas Pakistanis right to vote in elections in Pakistan. The case was made reference to Election Commission of Pakistan as representation. Then he appeared in the Election Commission of Pakistan and
Election Commission of Pakistan directed the Government of Pakistan for the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment. Waiting for several months while observing intentional delay by the Government of Pakistan in implementing the judgment of the SC, he decided to petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2015 for the implementation of its own judgment cited PLD 2014 SC 72. This time he decided not to represent one overseas Pakistani but he engaged overseas Pakistanis from 14 different
countries to be as petitioner in Supreme Court of Pakistan. He managed to engage over 30 overseas Pakistanis from around the globe to be as petitioners in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Such imitative on such huge scale has never been taken by any person or organization within or outside Pakistan. It was one of his dreams to bring common man to the highest court of the country for the exercising one of his fundamental rights. While fighting for the extension of franchise for Pakistani Diaspora through Pakistan higher courts, it became decided to write a book on the issue in detail to help the citizens of Pakistan
understand his real intention for extension of political rights to Pakistani Diaspora. In this book, Dawood Ghazanavi has discussed in detail Pakistan’s need to develop a new social contract with its Diaspora in accordance with the norms and trend adopted by the developed countries of the 21st century. It has been presented why at this point of Pakistan’s history developing a firm political connection with its Diaspora is the need of our times. What mechanisms need to be adopted by Pakistan in the age of globalization to connect with its Diaspora? It has also been discussed in detail how the deprivation of basic rights of certain sections of the society has played a considerable part in the destruction of early democratic institutions in the history. The book has also touched upon how two great religions, Christianity and Islam, at certain points in history played their part in uniting and connecting people across the boundaries of their place of birth. How after treaty of Westphalia in the 17th century, and during the rise of nation state concept in the 19th and the 20th century, the extension of franchise to different section of society within the fixed territorial of a nation state, has helped in developing unity within territorial boundaries of the state, where nationalism, as a sign of state unity replaced religion which was once considered a sign of unity. This book has then stretched its research to find out how mass migration during the WWII has changed the political dynamics of the 20th century and how in face of this trend, nations have maintained nationalism across their territorial boundaries. To answer these questions a thorough research has been presented of citizenship laws of different countries and the reasons behind acceptance of the concept of dual nationality as a nation state’s prime requirement. With such changing dynamics of the world, how developing nations have found different ways to bridge connections with their Diaspora, such as, extension of political rights of its Diaspora, leniency and more incentives in Federal Direct Investment (FDI). Finally, after taking into account all the above factors and learning the dynamics of the current world this book concludes that Pakistan in the 21st century needs to develop a new social contract with its Diaspora. The research on Pakistan migration
history concludes that the most effective way for Pakistan to bridge connection to its Diaspora is through extension of the political rights (e.g. extraterritorial voting) to its Diaspora. The Government of Pakistan has consistently ignored the implementation of this 21st century idea hence weakening its connection with its Diaspora. This is resulting in a huge loss to Pakistan in terms of political, economical, social and human resource. Extension of political rights to overseas Pakistanis has been established by the highest
court of Pakistan but the government is reluctant to implement it. The book gives a detailed history of the court cases in pursuit of this goal and the struggle for the cause continues even at this moment within the halls of justice.