In Pakistan, nearly every citizen grows up with the idea of working abroad to secure the future at home. They all say it casually at first. They plan to work abroad for a few years, make enough and then move back. Yet for many, those few years turn into decades. Children grow up abroad, careers take root, and the return becomes increasingly unlikely, though hope never fades.
Millions of Pakistanis live in small flats in big cities like London, Dubai, or Toronto, while spending time in large homes back in Lahore, Karachi, or Islamabad. On paper, these homes make sense, but few are ever occupied for more than a few weeks a year.
Emotionally, they are essential. They represent identity, belonging and a promise that they have not abandoned their roots. The houses are monuments of life imagined rather than lived.
Life abroad only seems glamorous on Instagram. The long working hours, modest housing and cultural isolation are common. They often face the challenge of standing between two worlds: never fully fitting in abroad and slowly becoming strangers at home. They become visitors of the very home they built and permanent outsiders abroad.
To preserve a sense of home, many overseas Pakistanis order items from Pakistan, whether it may be spices or traditional clothes, while simultaneously trying to adapt to life abroad.
Distance reshapes memory as well. They often recall their childhood memories of playing in the street, family gatherings and festivals, forgetting that was the life they ran from. Nostalgia creates a rosy version of the past, making the idea of returning feel urgent and necessary. They miss home-cooked food and the rooftop chai with discussion. Yet when visits happen, reality rarely matches memory. Time changes both the home and the person.
Despite these realities, millions continue to postpone their return. Children’s education, career stability and healthcare make permanent relocations risky. “Next year” becomes a habit. Many years pass, yet the hope remains. This is why it is called a myth, not because it is false but because only a few people complete it.
People never miss land alone. They miss their parents, language, food and childhood memories. They miss the feeling of belonging without effort. Even if they never move back, they keep strong ties with their family.
The overseas Pakistani stands between two worlds: one offers belonging. The other offers an opportunity. Neither feels complete without the other. So they quietly hold on to a promise: they will return.