Raising a voice: Diaspora demands right to vote in upcoming elections

Gilgit-Baltistan wants to vote in the upcoming elections.

GILGIT:

As elections draw nearer, people of Gilgit-Baltistan residing outside the region have demanded voting rights.

“A large proportion of G-B’s population is living outside of G-B because of lack of educational and employment opportunities. Not including them in the election process will be tantamount to denying them their basic rights,” reads an online petition initiated by Ali Taj, who lives outside G-B.

“The general elections for Gilgit-Baltistan’s Legislative Assembly are around the corner,” the petition states, adding nomination of chief election commissioner and interim set-up has been finalised and both bodies will start initiating the poll process soon.

According to the petition, because of the long distance, many people will not be able to reach G-B to vote in the upcoming elections. It demanded the election commission and interim government take necessary steps to allow the diaspora of G-B to vote in the polls.

“Voters should be given the facility of postal service or polling stations should be set up at the office of district coordination officers in major cities,” states the petition.

While the schedule is yet to be announced, it is generally believed elections for G-B’s legislative assembly will take place in June. Although there are no exact figures available of the number of people residing outside of G-B, it is said to be in the thousands.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2015.