Overseas Pakistanis must be given the Right to Vote... Take Action

[Leader]

PTI is of the considered opinion, in fact a CEC decision was made sometime ago that we would campaign for the Right of Overseas Pakistanis to vote in elections in Pakistan. Many Presidents and Prime Ministers have made this promise whenever they have been abroad. Even the Supreme Court charged the Election Commission of Pakistan to look into this issue and devise a plan (in the 90's). However such a right if given will shake the established corridoors of power wherein there is a huge reflection of bogus and coercive voting in maintaining the status quo.

Let me communcite to all of you the practical side. If somebody wants to vote for his/her constituency he should be exposed to a political campaign. In many countries such campaigning would not be allowed for example in the entire Middle East. Secondly on what basis would you select our constituency. For many it would be easy and for some city dwellers it would be difficult. For this reason a far better option is available which would also make a very good reflection in Pakistan politics.

This option is Proportional Representation. for those of you intereseted please look up at the advantages. First-past-the-post system skews the electoral process wherein there is an inaccurate reflection of party votes relative to seats gained. Theretically Party A can get 100% seats with 51% of the votes and Party B can get zero seats though it gets 49% votes. This is an extreme example but every election done in this format shows that the final result never reflects the vote count. All major parties in Pakistan (including PPP in its original manifesto) have at different time proposed proportional representation but as they come into power they get an advantage through first-past-the-post system and they do not want to let it go.

Many countries have moved towards other voting systems including proportional representation and range voting. The most accurate is range voting but it requires a literate population (and we have made sure to keep people illiterate).

Overseas Pakistanis would easily be able to vote for parties (proportional representation) and then for the first time in Pakistan this vote will allow seat allocation on the basis of party vote strength, thereby balancing the entire politcal edifice.

The High Commission of Pakistan has put up a questionnaire on its website The High Commission for Pakistan in United KingdomThe High Commission for Pakistan in United Kingdom

Please fill it out and ask all Overseas Pakistanis to campaign for this issue. Some of you may remember that we discussed this in our earlier blogs with an overwhelming demand that we should do something. Now you have the chance.

Sincerely,

Dr Arif Alvi

Secretary General

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

---------- Post added at 12:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:30 AM ----------

voting is just for the residents of England !

 

[Respect4Respect01]

that is actually good move to bring real change.

 

[ice_man]

well if they pak taxes then YES and they must hold pakistani passport otherwise NO! NO taxes and NO passport means no right to vote!!

 

[fd24]

well if they pak taxes then YES and they must hold pakistani passport otherwise NO! NO taxes and NO passport means no right to vote!!

I agree with you. Also i believe people living outside Pakistan bring extreme wealth to the nation. Getting them involved in the electoral system would surely increase this

 

[Malik Usman]

Peoples living abroad must be given right for vote.............as they are the peoples who care more about threir country and send money to Pakistan whenever their is disaster in Pakistan. Plus they read daily and listen daily news about Pakistan...may be peoples living in Pakistan are not reading or watching news daily.

 

[fd24]

Peoples living abroad must be given right for vote.............as they are the peoples who care more about threir country and send money to Pakistan whenever their is disaster in Pakistan. Plus they read daily and listen daily news about Pakistan...may be peoples living in Pakistan are not reading or watching news daily.

Also sometimes when looking from the outside we are able to give an objective view of the status of our nation. We can also take on board of what others are thinking about our nation which could help.

 

[Leader]

PTI moves petition for overseas Pakistani’s right to vote

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has moved a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court seeking an appropriate direction for the respondents to make arrangements for overseas Pakistanis, enabling them to exercise their right to vote.

The petition moved by chairman PTI Imran Khan and other party office bearers through Mian Abdul Rauf advocate, said that as per mandate of the Constitution of Pakistan, the respondents were required to prepare and update electoral rolls by devising provisions for making it possible for overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes in the forthcoming elections.

“It is further prayed that respondents may kindly be directed to make appropriate measures for making it possible for the Overseas Pakistanis to cast their vote in Pakistani consulates and embassies like many other developed/developing countries do so,” the petitioners said.

They said that there were over 8 million overseas Pakistanis around the globe (in more than 159 countries) who contributed greatly to the development of Pakistan and possibly 5.5 million eligible voters who were patriots no less then the people living in Pakistan.

“They had been rendering meritorious services and managed to develop an image of Pakistan as a truly democratic, progressive and potential power in the comity of nations. They see national decay in the comparative mirror of responsible developed societies in which they live. Many of the Overseas Pakistanis enjoy the benefits of democracy, rule of law and freedom of expression in the countries of their residence, so they want to see Pakistan as a progressive and democratic state where human rights are respected and freedom of expression is ensured,” they added.

Giving further reasons they said that many developed/undeveloped countries in the world like Russia, Italy, Indonesia, Australia, USA, UK, Afghanistan, Iraq etc did recognize the right of vote to their citizens residing abroad.

They said that the right of franchise was an unqualified inalienable fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 and the right of vote was an expression of said right being a sacred element of the democratic process.

“That Government is obliged under the Constitution to provide an effective mechanism and provision enabling the citizens of Pakistan to conveniently exercise their constitutional rights,” they added.

That the case in hand was a case of sheer discrimination too, where a large community contributing to country’s economy significantly, was deprived of their fundamental right of franchise, they added.

They further submitted that without the Pakistani citizens resident abroad, the electoral rolls/electorate or electoral college would not be completed.

@Dawn

 

[Ali.009]

Will provide another opportunity to Pakistani politicians to increase their fake votes and probably thats what PTI wishes to achieve with this too. NO to this dumb idea. Can PTI first make sure that local elections will be free from any bogus votes? Answer is simple, no they can't.