The right to vote for overseas Pakistanis

[Lucky Breeze]

Non resident Indians(With Indian passport) can vote but OCI card holders can't.

So how the non residents cast their votes. Do they have to come to India or they can cast their vote somewhere e.g in indian embassy?

 

[Pakistani E]

The right to vote for overseas Pakistanis​

Should Overseas Pakistanis have the right to vote? One section of people living in Pakistan believe that overseas Pakistanis shouldn't be allowed to vote as their Patriotism has been compromised or that people living overseas have no idea about the ground realities or about the issues concerning the local dispora. But lets have a look as why Overseas Pakistanis deserve the right to have a say on who gets to represent Pakistan in the world.

1. There are around 7.6 million overseas Pakistanis(Ref:1) as of Dec 2013 contributing $16Billion to the Pakistan econony by remittances alone in 2016 (Ref:2) and $18.4Billion in 2015 (Ref:3) which is around 40%-45% of the total revenue of Pakistan.
2. Overseas Pakistans are like brand ambassadors whos interaction create the image of the country better than anyone sitting in Pakistan
3. Most Overseas Pakistanis are educated and have front row seats to see what is working in other countries as compared to what is not working in Pakistan.
4. Overseas Pakistanis are more patriotic than their co-nationals back home, as they go through the heart-break of being away from home and their family & friends.
5. With the rise of electronic and social media, Overseas Pakistanis are equally aware of the local issues being faced by the people.
6. Every political party has offices around the world where they collect fundings for their respective parties.
7. Overseas Pakistanis have always generously donated when ever a need arises due to national calamities.

There are around 115 countries that give their expats the right to vote including US, UK, France and Australia. So why shouldn't overseas Pakistanis have the same right.

References

1: http://ophrd.gov.pk/frmDetails.aspx?id=1&opt=publications
2. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1100856/overseas-pakistanis-send-16-billion-in-remittances-up-5-25/
3. https://tribune.com.pk/story/920286/pakistan-pockets-remittances-amounting-to-18-4b/

Poll

If you agree with what i have stated above choose "Yes". if you have selected "NO" please share your reasons.

Agree wholeheartedly. There really doesn't remain any logical reason as to why overseas Pakistanis are not allowed to vote. Overseas Pakistanis should pressure Pakistani politicians when they visit the U.K for example, and demand that in exchange for the funds, they go back and introduce legislation to allow overseas Pakistanis the vote.

At first , right to vote should be extended to overseas ..Dual nationality is another issue ..Remittances are sent to FAMILIES not to pakistan...

But bhai, it's not like the families than physically eat the money do they? They spend the money there in Pakistan. When we send money to our family, it is used for groceries, rents and hospital bills etc. All in Pakistan. So the money is being used there within Pakistan.

 

[BABA AGHORI]

So how the non residents cast their votes. Do they have to come to India or they can cast their vote somewhere e.g in indian embassy?

They need to go to the nearest INDIAN mission... to get registered and vote..

 

[El Sidd]

The practicality of this needs to be worked out with proper legislation which we currently do not have.

I think Pakistan is heading towards no dual national policy.

and i voted NO (insert shamed smiley face here)

 

[Devil Soul]

YES...... i want to have the right to VOTE

 

[war&peace]

Overseas residents of the most of the civilised countries have the right to vote for their original countries and a lot of methods exist so it is not even a matter for discussion since that is their birthright.

.Remittances are sent to FAMILIES not to pakistan...

and the families are living on the Mars?
itni ziada fehm-o-farast ka darya kahan se paya aap ne aflatoon ko sharma bhi diya?

 

[I.R.A]

They spend the money there in Pakistan. When we send money to our family, it is used for groceries, rents and hospital bills etc. All in Pakistan. So the money is being used there within Pakistan.

Too bad rest of the ordinary Pakistanis are getting it all free of cost at their doorsteps.

 

[Verve]

Anyone with a valid CNIC should be able to vote from anywhere in the world.

It is stupidity that one must be present in the country only to vote. There's no law prohibiting dual nationals to vote when in Pakistan so why should there be a law to stop them when not in Pakistan. Simply rediculous.

Either stop dual nationals from voting altogether or allow from anywhere.

 

[H!TchHiker]

[

But bhai, it's not like the families than physically eat the money do they? They spend the money there in Pakistan. When we send money to our family, it is used for groceries, rents and hospital bills etc. All in Pakistan. So the money is being used there within Pakistan.

You didn't get it properly..Right to vote for overseas , Yes but the notion of doing some extra favor for Pakistan by sending money to own families is totally wrong..

Overseas residents of the most of the civilised countries have the right to vote for their original countries and a lot of methods exist so it is not even a matter for discussion since that is their birthright.


and the families are living on the Mars? itni ziada fehm-o-farast ka darya kahan se paya tum ne aflatoon ko sharma bhi diya?

No families are living in pakistan ..Shayad ap Araasto ka shaagird rahein hain...all the Pakistanis spend in country.I am just saying we are not doing something extra by sending money back to families

 

[Pakistani E]

Yes but the notion of doing some extra favor for Pakistan by sending money to own families is totally wrong..

I don't think any overseas Pakistani thinks they've done a favour. It's more about highlighting the benefits that the remittances bring to the Pakistani economy and society. I don't see how that could be constructed as having incurred a favour. It was more about countering the logic behind not giving them a vote, by highlighting a positive contributing factor.

 

[war&peace]

You didn't get it properly..Right to vote for overseas , Yes but the notion of doing some extra favor for Pakistan by sending money to own families is totally wrong..
No families are living in pakistan ..Shayad ap Araasto ka shaagird rahein hain...all the Pakistanis spend in country.I am just saying we are not doing something extra by sending money back to families

Oh Einstein paijaan, the overseas Pakistanis earn abroad (other than Pakistan) and send it to Pakistan and thus it brings in the vital foreign exchange and increases the foreign currency reserves of the country without any cost which a person living and earning in Pakistan does not contribute. Furthermore, they cause the inflow of the money to Pakistan from abroad. It is really a big service when we compare how the people living inside the country are doing disservice to the nation and the country is sinking under the load of loans and interests.
Pakistan has more spending than its income i.e. Budget deficit that means more loans and interest that undermines our sovereignty and economic growth.

And Pakistan imports more than it exports i.e. trade deficit and thus foreign currency reserves are depleting and the overseas Pakistani are helping the nation in arresting this depletion.
So we should be really grateful to them.

And if we are a nation acting ungrateful to them...sooner or later a lot of OP will be returning to Pakistan especially from the Gulf as many of the GCC countries (especially KSA) have introduced a fee that will increase every year and at some point it will become impossible for a lot OP to live there.

 

[Syed1.]

The practicality of this needs to be worked out with proper legislation which we currently do not have.

I think Pakistan is heading towards no dual national policy.

and i voted NO (insert shamed smiley face here)

I hereby resign from my PDF core committee post which I was planning to apply for.

 

[El Sidd]

I hereby resign from my PDF core committee post which I was planning to apply for.

Allah khush rakhe or kamyaabi de

 

[Musafir117]

Allah khush rakhe or kamyaabi de

That was his 666th post

 

[El Sidd]

That was his 666th post

maybe jabhi dil se dua nikli mere bhai @Syed1. ke liye