Pakistan

Ensuring voting rights

Those Pakistanis who left the country should not be considered that important to have a say in our domestic affairs.

Letter April 02, 2013

KARACHI: One is really astonished at the priorities of the election commission. For days and weeks now, we hear election commission officials worrying about devising a voting system for overseas Pakistanis, many of whom left Pakistan after completing their education and training for greener pastures abroad, creating a brain drain at home. Those Pakistanis, who left the country and are not experiencing ground realities of the country anymore, should not be considered that important to have a say in our domestic affairs. Since the world scenario has changed now and they are feeling insecure due to so-called Islamophobia, they want to be recognised in the motherland although many have taken an oath of allegiance to remain loyal to their new homelands. Whosoever they might be voting for, the outcome of the elections has to be borne by those living here and not by them. Their votes may bring the wrong set of candidates on top. We hear that expensive electronic voting devices are needed to enable overseas Pakistanis to vote. What is the need for all this?

On the other hand, millions of people living in the country are suffering from the fallout of the last government’s wrongdoing, its poor governance, negligence and corruption, but they will be deprived of their voting rights as much as they are deprived of other rights such as education, health care and so on because they have been living as internally displaced persons for the last many months, if not years. There are hundreds of thousands of people who fled their homes because of ongoing military operations in their areas, poor security situations or in the aftermath of the floods, which resulted in loss of property. These people have not been rehabilitated or registered for voting in their new, temporary places of residence.

The election commission has never even mentioned these people and instead of looking for ways to facilitate voting for outsiders, they should have taken care of the rights of Pakistanis living in Pakistan. There is only one conclusion that can be drawn from this: the understanding of equal rights for all citizens is quite underdeveloped even in the “highly educated” ranks of our officialdom.

Ali Ashraf Khan

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2013.

COMMENTS (6)

expaki | 11 years ago | Reply

@Ali Ashraf Khan, no one in her /his right mind leaves her/his birth place. that is something which people like you will never understand. Huda sahib ,replied you above with some figures. now be honest to yourself, can you play a SUPER PATRIOT without those figures at your disposal? although you exclude us, and that is fine, no hard feelings. but please make that land we left, at least, liveable place for yourself. Juphiaan Sajnaaan

Sk Rasool | 11 years ago | Reply

Time is not ripe to allow non-resident Pakistanis to vote in the elections. However many of our non-resident patriots hesitate to reveal their identity as Pakistanis. First, we have to streamline the administration and crush religious fundamentalism, eradicate sectarian and criminal elements from the society. The judiciary is doing a wonderful job except in curtailing religious hatred and blasphemy laws.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Aik Aam Inqalabi | 11 years ago | Reply I think you are right dude. May be it doesn't go with labours working in middle east (it would be a bit harsh as they are living hand to mouth) but I know many of colleagues have done (or are currently doing) everything/anything to settle abroad. It is not that they are poor, for me they are among top ten % rich-est/established people living in this country. They never want to come PK for voting on their own expense and most of them neither have had voted ever before. Why to consider them for voting at all? And for those who are trying to make eco-nomical point out of this. They are not doing it for country. It is just that they are una-ble to move their entire family. So yes, in the end they are playing important role in the economy but that is not what they exactly mean. Ok, so you have written 'one' open letter.

Falcon | 11 years ago | Reply

I think the writer might be over-estimating the amount required for implementation of overseas voting, which is hardly in millions (PKR). Compare that to the amount in billions that is leaking through the economy every day because of bad governance and you will realize that our bad political decisions are costing the system much more than miniscule amount spent on enabling voting for overseas Pakistanis. Furthermore, overseas are the ones who are much more willing to take risk in Pakistan than a traditional investor due to high dose of patriotism as well as familiarity with the local economic context. Providing rights to overseas Pakistanis is the least govt. can do at this time to keep them engaged. At the end of the day, you can also make the argument that why spend money on elections at all when we can spend that money on something more productive in relative terms; but then you would be missing the forest for the trees. On a side note, it is not only us, other developing countries also provide such facilities.

Mohammed | 11 years ago | Reply

This is probably the most useless thing I have read on this site. Firstly the fact of the matter is that we will always be known as Pakistanis regardless of which country we reside in, no one in their right mind would say I am British at first impressions. Getting asked on a regular basis "Where are you from?". The answer of "London" is never adequate, and the conversation always concludes with, "oh so you're Pakistani".

I completly agree that dual nationals should not be allowed to contest elections in any country, as there will always be a conflict of interest when certain situations arise. But as for voting, as long as you have a NADRA card, you should have the right to vote. What would be the point of such a large investment, if all it is, is an ID card.

And if we were to go by your logic where there has been a brain drain, lets just compare that with the people who will vote and have never a paid single rupee of tax in their lives. yet this isnt contingent that only tax payers have the right to vote.

To sum it up, your "article" is just pointless. And to have a guess, you are most like going to vote for the PPP.

Nabeel Huda | 11 years ago | Reply

Deeply Sad to notice the viewpoint of fellow Pakistani, For your kind information .. If u do a little research then you will understand tht for the past few years these "Foreign Workers" are the most regular and punctual entity bringing lifeline to the economy.

To reply to EVERY single concern of yours, i want to inform you that ; Pakistan ranks 10th in the world for remittances sent home in 2012 at $13 billion.

Now compare it to Every other FDI or Foreign Assistance, local Growth & Foreign Reserves in Pakistan & U will understand the magnitude of the impact it has on economy & u still want thm to be deprived of having a say in their own country ?

As for them being not aware of the Ground Realities, Every Pakistani Born Abroad Read Pakistani Newspaper & watch Pakistani Channels to ensure he is updated & is equally concerend about his Homeland, where he have to Return back one day.

The Pakistani diaspora is around 7 million Pakistani people living abroad. around 8-10% of Voters tht is.

Replying to X