Pakistan to scrap law allowing dual-national overseas Pakistanis to vote

[OptiFictious]

This is India's way of cutting ties that still keep Pakistan connected with the rest of the world. India forces all tech people of Pakistani background to provide a certificate which shows they have cancelled their Pakistani nationality before they issue visa to a dual national. Given their strength and presence in the IT sector when Pakistani expats in foreign countries need to travel to India for meetings/work - this is a requirement (the cancellation cert). What this ends up doing is it cuts more and more ties to Pakistan of some of the best national resources. This PML and PPP government just did this en mass - an Indian policy. Unbelievable.
I know many Pakistanis who are dual nationals who bring into Pakistan millions of dollars worth of contracts. With this we'll single handedly kill another critical link. TOTAL MADNESS!!!

I have never seen anyone traveling to India from a Western world for work. The opposite is actually true.

 

[StormBreaker]

Yes yes, I was just pointing out the absurdity.

Sooner or later, IK will realize that revolution was and is the only way. Nothing can be fixed through this system.

It’s now or never. He should’ve understood by now but given the fragile state of economy, Now is not the time

 

[Tamerlane]

یہ ملک نواز شریف کا ہے ، تم ہو خوا ما خوا اس میں ۔۔

Not all of Pakistan belongs to Nawaz Sharif. Kolachi jo Goth belongs to Asif Ali Zardari, grand wadera of Sindhudesh.

 

[TigerOfMysore]

I have never seen anyone traveling to India from a Western world for work. The opposite is actually true.

To the contrary and this maybe a function of levels - I have seen and heard first hand accounts of Pakistani-Brits and Pakistani-Americans at the highest levels in IT put through significant pain before being allowed visas for India. Even non-IT executives. India whether we like it or not is at the center of the IT world. If you are a senior executive in a company or a VC, or PE, the option of not working with some function that is India related is low to none. And that is what I am talking about.

Indian policy makes it hard even if you have a single citizenship. Hopefully this makes more sense - it is not work, it is business strategy and meetings. India singles out foreigners of Pakistani decent and attempts them to force them into cutting whatever little relationship they have with their mother country.

And now this government is making it easier. MADNESS!!!

 

[Edevelop]

I agree with this move. If you do not live in Pakistan and do not pay any taxes, you should not have any right to vote. Besides, the overseas people made their choices to leave so that would be a conflict of interest. There is nothing wrong with being a dual citizen, just that you should not have any power or leverage over those who are living on that land.

 

[MultaniGuy]

I think dual nationals should be allowed to vote.

The reason people opt for dual nationality is for better opportunities and or economic reasons.

 

[Menace2Society]

You can block dual nationals from voting only if the condition of being able to vote is being able to read and write.

 

[ghazi52]

.,.,.
Okay, any news ...

Zardari and Fazl are seemingly using electoral reforms as an excuse to avoid early elections​

 

[Edevelop]

Don't be so nervous. What will happen will happen anyway. Expect a significant drop in remittances. Expect lesser visits from expats to Pakistan. Expect lesser investment and property acquisition from expats. You just keep supporting the Sharif family.

That would be the best thing that can happen. Expats should stop buying! The poor are getting poorer and rich are getting richer. Compare the incomes of Pakistanis living in Pakistan and the prices of properties in Pakistan. The gap is huge and expats are responsible for that. They create and invest in these housing schemes on prime agricultural and other lands that can potentially serve economic purpose. That is a crime.

 

[Chopchop]

Let me put it in this way: Those who CAN, they do go outside. Those who cannot, because of family or whatever reason do not. Look at how many Indians apply for PR in Canada or H1B in USA. Its not that hard. Money is very hard to argue against.

Sorry for late reply
That whatever reason might be patriotism at times(surprise surprise) and that is what I'm telling you.
Everyone is not running after money.(Believe it)
Previously you told to not expect charity, talked about give and take.
While I read in some other thread that you are an IIT grad. So Basically you did your studies on subsidy provided by govt(taxpayers money).You could have tried joining any govt organization/research program or something to inspire, educate, uplift our country,but instead you chose more money, it's not as if there is a dearth of jobs for an IIT grad here.But that would only happen if one has the urge to give something back to there motherland.
But than like you said, for some people,money is very hard to argue against.
Tells alot about your character though.
Even labourers from gulf send remittance money, perhaps more than what we get from Canada.
But then they are mostly labourers and the other side are engineers, scientists, doctors and what not.

It's ok that you and others around you never felt indebted to our motherland.
Might be a regional/familial/cultural/upbringing thing.
But please kindly dont insult the likes of kalam and other patriots by saying that they are failed runners.
Understand this, There is absolutely no comparison.
And again about remittances, as I said they send money because they have to.
You are saying others can send more, well greedy people tend to put money where they can make more profit,if they feel that they can make more by investing in India, thay probably will.
No matter, Citizenship or no citizenship, they ran away to far away land without that countrys citizenship,simply for more money.
So i got a feeling that, they will come back/invest/put money in India, only if they get more money by doing it. (Or obligations as told earlier). No need to dress it up as some concern/patriotism/good deed etc.

In the end, it seems we both have made up our minds, so
I think we can agree to disagree with each other here.
Citizens>>>>> OCI holders/dual citizens

So my final reply to you on this topic.

 

[HydraChess]

That whatever reason might be patriotism at times(surprise surprise) and that is what I'm telling you.
Everyone is not running after money.(Believe it)

Ummm... Thats false. Everyone without fail realises that they need money to survive. Unless they are born in money. Its like saying due to patriotism I will fly. You can not. Gravity will do a short work of you.

Previously you told to not expect charity, talked about give and take.

Yes, thats the basis of civilization. Thats how things operate. Thats why we do not kill and loot each other. Economy.

While I read in some other thread that you are an IIT grad. So Basically you did your studies on subsidy provided by govt(taxpayers money).You could have tried joining any govt organization/research program or something to inspire, educate, uplift our country,but instead you chose more money, it's not as if there is a dearth of jobs for an IIT grad here.But that would only happen if one has the urge to give something back to there motherland.

Hold on your horses. AFTER graduating from IIT-Delhi, I worked in India for more than 12 years in India and I paid WAY MORE tax than average Indian does. I have also donated to IIT-Delhi as I am a member to IIT alumni association.

I have paid the public subsidiy on my education many many many many times over. Even while I am in Canada, I got some income taxable in India (basically stock options which gets vested and its value is split between Canada and India) and I paid north of 10 lakh INR in tax in India due to this. Thats much much more than what an average tax payer pays in India. Last time I calculated, I have paid more tax to India in 3 years while I am in Canada than an average salaried Indian pays in his or her entire 40 years of working life. If I calculate my 12 years in career, I had paid more in taxes than 4 or 5 salaried people in India will pay in their entire life time.

As far as public money spend on me, I have generated way way way way more revenue for government of India. For India, I have been an extremely successful investment.

And no, I will NEVER work for government of India directly. They have no use for my skills for they do not do what I do. I will waste time and money working for them.

But than like you said, for some people,money is very hard to argue against.
Tells alot about your character though.
Even labourers from gulf send remittance money, perhaps more than what we get from Canada.
But then they are mostly labourers and the other side are engineers, scientists, doctors and what not.

A dollar in hand is bigger than 1000 words in mouth.

And YES, those in gulf send more money because their plan is to return to India as it is impossible to settle in gulf because of their skill level. If government of India had enough brains to allow people settled abroad to remain as Indian citizens, it would be reaping WAY MORE in remittance.

Look at Pakistan, their diaspora remits more money than Indians because they are often citizens of Pakistan as well. India is missing on this opportunity. India can get 100 billion additional remittance if it works more pragmatic. But look at the jealousy most of fellow Indians have with "NRI"s and "Overseas Ethnic Indian"s, I am pretty sure why none of that will materialize.

It's ok that you and others around you never felt indebted to our motherland.

I do not feel indebted because I believe in paying off my debt.

 

[Chopchop]

Ummm... Thats false. Everyone without fail realises that they need money to survive. Unless they are born in money. Its like saying due to patriotism I will fly. You can not. Gravity will do a short work of you.


Yes, thats the basis of civilization. Thats how things operate. Thats why we do not kill and loot each other. Economy.


Hold on your horses. AFTER graduating from IIT-Delhi, I worked in India for more than 12 years in India and I paid WAY MORE tax than average Indian does. I have also donated to IIT-Delhi as I am a member to IIT alumni association.

I have paid the public subsidiy on my education many many many many times over. Even while I am in Canada, I got some income taxable in India (basically stock options which gets vested and its value is split between Canada and India) and I paid north of 10 lakh INR in tax in India due to this. Thats much much more than what an average tax payer pays in India. Last time I calculated, I have paid more tax to India in 3 years while I am in Canada than an average salaried Indian pays in his or her entire 40 years of working life. If I calculate my 12 years in career, I had paid more in taxes than 4 or 5 salaried people in India will pay in their entire life time.

As far as public money spend on me, I have generated way way way way more revenue for government of India. For India, I have been an extremely successful investment.

And no, I will NEVER work for government of India directly. They have no use for my skills for they do not do what I do. I will waste time and money working for them.


A dollar in hand is bigger than 1000 words in mouth.

And YES, those in gulf send more money because their plan is to return to India as it is impossible to settle in gulf because of their skill level. If government of India had enough brains to allow people settled abroad to remain as Indian citizens, it would be reaping WAY MORE in remittance.

Look at Pakistan, their diaspora remits more money than Indians because they are often citizens of Pakistan as well. India is missing on this opportunity. India can get 100 billion additional remittance if it works more pragmatic. But look at the jealousy most of fellow Indians have with "NRI"s and "Overseas Ethnic Indian"s, I am pretty sure why none of that will materialize.


I do not feel indebted because I believe in paying off my debt.

Its ok, like I said, we can agree to disagree.

 

[Solidify]

This is not logical.
Will PTI come back in power before December 2022 to overturn this law?

 

[Khan vilatey]

Islamabad: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led ruling alliance is all set to undo the provision introduced by the previous government allowing dual-nationality holder overseas Pakistanis the right of vote.
A bill in this regard was moved in the National Assembly by dissident Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Assembly lawmaker Noor Alam Khan to amend the Elections Act 2017. The bill seeks deletion of the provision that conditionally allows dual nationals to contest elections or vote.

No objection to single nationality holder​

While introducing the bill in the House, Noor Alam Khan said the country’s law did not provide any such right to the dual national overseas Pakistanis who have pledged their allegiance to their host countries.
Noor Alam Khan further said he was not against granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis with Pakistani citizenship but wanted to withdraw this right from the overseas Pakistanis with dual citizenship.
Former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, whose Awami Muslim League (AML) is a close ally of the PTI, warned the government of Shehbaz Sharif of serious consequences if the overseas Pakistanis were deprived of their right of vote.
“I would challenge the bill in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and would take the case of the overseas Pakistanis to every forum,” said Sheikh Rashid.
PTI has a strong political base among the overseas Pakistanis and from the day since Imran Khan was voted out of power, overseas Pakistanis in Europe, America and elsewhere have been staging protests and holding rallies in his support.
The Pakistani diaspora is one of the largest immigrant populations in the world and sends remittances worth billions of dollars every month back home. In 2020-21, alone they sent a record $29.4 billion (Dh 108 billion) back home hence playing a leading role in boosting the country’s foreign currency reserves.

Pakistan to scrap law allowing dual-national overseas Pakistanis to vote

Khan’s government in November 2021 had allowed overseas Pakistanis to cast their ballot

gulfnews.com

View attachment 843831

This is the saddest day for overseas Pakistanis like myself

K

 

[HAIDER]

This is the saddest day for overseas Pakistanis like myself

K

feeling is mutual