Imran Khan spearheading the drive for overseas vote

[Awesome]

Overseas Pakistanis to vote in next poll: ECP - MENAFN

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has completed the task to include overseas Pakistanis in the forthcoming elections, the Supreme Court was informed here by a senior official of the commission.

The apex court was further told by ECP director-general Sher Afgan that the commission's recent meetings on April 9 and 10 with all stakeholders in the government, discussed the issue of providing voting rights to overseas Pakistanis and concluded that their participation would be ensured.

A three-member bench of the court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry while hearing a petition filed by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan seeking grant of voting right to expatriates, heard from Sher Afgan the measures taken to implement its direction to facilitate overseas Pakistan to exercise the right of vote in the May 11 election.

The court had directed the commission to develop mechanism for facilitating Pakistani expatriates to cast votes in the upcoming elections. It also asked the attorney-general to move the government for enacting requisite legislation enabling overseas Pakistanis to participate in next elections.

Sher Afgan said that it has been decided that initially Pakistanis residing in 10 countries would be included in this exercise. "About 4.5 million registered voters are residing in other countries, out of which 3.5 million are in the Middle East and out of these 2.9 million are currently living only in two countries of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates," he informed the court.

Afgan further told the court that in Saudi Arabia about one million Pakistanis have manual passports, thus they would not be able to take part in the elections because the Machine Readable Passport (MRP) was the pre-requisite for them. He further stated that the National Database Regulatory Authority (NADRA) had made e-voting software for expatriates which would be utilised during the coming elections.

 

[Icewolf]

Will barely leave a scratch in # of votes.

 

[Tayyab1796]

If the election Commission cannot generate any ideas in this matter they should look at the practice followed by the other countries on this ... Voting on the internet is one possibility but how do we ensure that the vote was cast in privacy and with full freedom of choice ?

 

[Awesome]

Will barely leave a scratch in # of votes.

4.5m is a lot of votes if even half vote, that will be like 5000 something votes per seat... In close battles some difference can be done.

 

[Icewolf]

4.5m is a lot of votes if even half vote, that will be like 5000 something votes per seat... In close battles some difference can be done.

1 million overseas Pakistanis have manual passport so no voting for them.

That leaves 3.5mn

Turnout is bound to be less than Pakistan's turnout.

Lets say 20%(being generous) is turnout for overseas Pakistanis.

That is is only couple of hundred thousands votes... Barely leave a scratch unless PTI & PML-N are in stiff neck to neck competetion

 

[Awesome]

1 million overseas Pakistanis have manual passport so no voting for them.

That leaves 3.5mn

Turnout is bound to be less than Pakistan's turnout.

Lets say 20%(being generous) is turnout for overseas Pakistanis.

That is is only couple of hundred thousands votes... Barely leave a scratch unless PTI & PML-N are in stiff neck to neck competetion

What has manual passport got to do with voting? I think NICOP should suffice, I think by the time the rules come in, this would change.

I mean how would dual nationals get to vote then who have not renewed their PAkistani passports in 10 years? It doesn't make sense. NICOP is something everyone keeps uptodate as it allows even American nationals visa free entry into Pakistan and Pakistani visa is super expensive! Like 500 USD.

 

[Jango]

Only KT is reporting it, no other source.

I think KT got it wrong.

 

[Awesome]

Only KT is reporting it, no other source.

I think KT got it wrong.

Voting for overseas Pakistani would be ensured, ECP tells SC – The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: Just as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the Supreme Court to ensure voting for overseas Pakistanis, the commission on Thursday told the apex court that voting for Pakistanis abroad would be ensured.
The ECP said that home work had been completed to include overseas Pakistanis in the forthcoming general elections. The court was further told that at a recent meeting of the ECP and other functionaries of the government, issues of providing right to franchise to overseas Pakistanis was discussed and had come to a conclusion that their participation would be ensured.

The three member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice IftikharMuhammad Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, were told details of ECP’s meetings on the matter during the past week.

Director General ECP Sher Afgan told the court that the commission had come to the conclusion that inclusion of overseas Pakistanis in the coming election was possible and as part of the first step Pakistanis residing in ten countries would be included.

“About 4.5 million registered voters are residing in other countries, out of which 3.5 million are in the Middle East and 2.9 million out of this figure are currently living only in two countries of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.”

The ECP further stated that the NADRA had made E-voting software for the expatriates and would be utilised during the coming elections. Upon this, Justice Gulzar questioned that when an overseas Pakistani would caste his vote in another country, his vote could also be used in his own constituency which would be tantamount to using one vote twice. The DG ECP though brushed away the concerns, stating that there would be a very small chance of mistakes in the current E-voting system.

Attorney General for Pakistan Irfan Qadir told the court that the first step in this exercise would be a law, as including certain clauses in the legislation, the process would become easier.

Afgan added that per their plan in countries where the population of registered voters was over 100,000, two polling stations would be set up. Any country with less than that number would get one polling station. The court was told that visas for the staff appointed in foreign missions would take two to three weeks.

The bench adjourned further hearing for ten days while directing the ECP to submit further report on the legislation and other matters.