Vote for Overseas Pakistanis Under Consideration
Islamabad, the 11th June, 2010: Mr. Ishtiak Ahmad Khan, Secretary ECP has said that the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis has sent a draft bill regarding grant of right to vote to Overseas Pakistanis to the ECP for comments and the ECP has invited some other Ministries concerned i.e. Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, Ministry of Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Ministry of Finance for consideration of the bill. Since then the matter is under active consideration of the ECP and all the other Ministries.
This was clarified by the Secretary, ECP in response to a news item appeared in a section of press saying that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the proposed legislation by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis (OP) on grant of right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis. However, the situation is different from the reported piece of news.
The Secretary further said that the Hon’ble Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), on receipt of the said draft bill, has appointed a committee headed by the Secretary, ECP and comprising the members of the aforementioned ministries to examine all aspects of the bill before legislation on it. The committee has examined in detail all Constitutional, legal, financial and administrative implications pertaining to grant of right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis advised accordingly to re-examine the issue in light of the recommendations of this committee and submit a fresh summary to the Prime Minister. The matter is under consideration of the Ministry of overseas Pakistanis.
The above committee was of the view that involvement of overseas Pakistanis could go a long way toward economic development of the country as well. In view of the aforementioned implications of grant of right to vote the committee was of the view that grant of right to vote to overseas Pakistanis on the basis of proportional representation could be a better option, Mr. Ishtiak Ahmad Khan said.
Moreover, the issue of entitlement of the right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis was also discussed at length during the meeting of the committee and it also reflects in the report submitted by the ECP. Broadly speaking, there are three categories of overseas Pakistanis i.e.
i) Who have Pakistani nationality and are working abroad temporarily/ on work permit
ii) Who have dual nationality (Pakistani nationality and of any other country with whom the government of Pakistan has entered into an agreement in this regard).
iii) Who had dual nationality but surrendered their Pakistani nationality
The Secretary explained that the committee had recommended that the overseas Pakistanis falling in the category (i) and (ii) excluding the category (iii) could qualify the right to vote.