Overseas Pakistanis to get voting rights soon: State Minister
Says Elections Commission of Pakistan was finalising a formal process in this regard.
ISLAMABAD:
State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr Nadeem Ehsan said on Tuesday that voting rights to overseas Pakistanis would be granted soon.
"Right to voting for overseas Pakistanis is recognised in principle and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is finalising a formal way to grant them the right to vote," Dr Ehsan said while addressing a cheque distribution ceremony for Kuwait-Iraq war victims.
Around Rs 16.5 million were distributed amongst the affected according to the Supreme Court’s order.
Speaking on the role of the overseas community, Dr Ehsan said, “They are a great asset for our country and have assisted us in every crisis, whether it is a tragic earthquake or gigantic floods in the country."
Managing Director Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Mohammed Manzoor said that remittances and investment in Pakistan by overseas Pakistanis were playing a vital role in reviving and stabilising the economy of Pakistan.
Earlier in September, an ECP official has said that it was finding it impossible to implement the decision of granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.
After lengthy deliberations with stakeholders over the last six months, the ECP concluded that giving the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis will be highly expensive and cannot be supported by the commission’s budget.
Besides the budget, logistics have also proven to be a major hurdle.
State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr Nadeem Ehsan said on Tuesday that voting rights to overseas Pakistanis would be granted soon.
"Right to voting for overseas Pakistanis is recognised in principle and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is finalising a formal way to grant them the right to vote," Dr Ehsan said while addressing a cheque distribution ceremony for Kuwait-Iraq war victims.
Around Rs 16.5 million were distributed amongst the affected according to the Supreme Court’s order.
Speaking on the role of the overseas community, Dr Ehsan said, “They are a great asset for our country and have assisted us in every crisis, whether it is a tragic earthquake or gigantic floods in the country."
Managing Director Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Mohammed Manzoor said that remittances and investment in Pakistan by overseas Pakistanis were playing a vital role in reviving and stabilising the economy of Pakistan.
Earlier in September, an ECP official has said that it was finding it impossible to implement the decision of granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.
After lengthy deliberations with stakeholders over the last six months, the ECP concluded that giving the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis will be highly expensive and cannot be supported by the commission’s budget.
Besides the budget, logistics have also proven to be a major hurdle.