Legal issues: Overseas Pakistanis face voting challenge

Existing laws make international voting impossible, Naek tells Senate.

ISLAMABAD:

More than four million Pakistanis living abroad will not be able to cast votes in the coming elections as there is no system to enable international polling, the government informed the Senate on Friday. 

Over 4.3 million overseas Pakistanis, spread over 106 countries, are registered as voters through computerised national identity cards issued to them during 2012.

Under the existing laws, Pakistanis cannot cast their votes from outside Pakistan, said Law Minister Farooq H Naek. Furthermore, the unavailability of an adequate voting mechanism with an international reach is also a challenge, he added.

Countries such as the US and the UK allow their nationals to vote in domestic elections from countries abroad. However, Pakistanis living abroad are expected to visit Pakistan in order to cast votes.

“The government is considering a new law to enable overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes at Pakistani embassies or through other means in the elections,” Naek informed the Senate. “However, it seems unlikely the law ministry will succeed to prepare new laws before the general elections.”

Bogus votes

In response to a question by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid Najma Hameed, the law minister informed senators that electoral rolls containing photographs and blank columns for obtaining the thumb impression of a voter at the time of casting of votes will be available with presiding officers on the polling day. “Purpose of these steps is to discourage bogus votes,” said Naek.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2013.