Right to vote: Senate body defers passage of draft bill on expat vote
This was done on the ground that it is a complicated issue and needs further deliberations to finalise the legislation
The committee met here and discussed Electoral Law Amendment Ordinance 2013 to make the amendment in the ordinance aimed at giving the right of vote to Pakistanis living in various countries. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Tuesday deferred passage of a draft legislative bill related to granting right of vote to the expatriate Pakistanis on the ground that it is a complicated issue and needs further deliberations to finalise the legislation.
The committee met here and discussed Electoral Law Amendment Ordinance 2013 to make the amendment in the ordinance aimed at giving the right of vote to Pakistanis living in various countries. The committee unanimously agreed to defer the draft bill till next sitting so that further discussion could be done.
Committee chairman Senator Kazim Khan observed that this is a lengthy process and passage of any bill is an easy job, but its implementation could be a challenge if it is enacted in haste.
He said there is a need to further discuss the issue so that a comprehensive legislation could be made.
PML-N Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah pointed out that giving such rights to the expatriate Pakistanis would have negative implications on the credibility of the election results. “I am not in favour of sending ballot boxes to foreign countries instead they should come here and poll their votes.”
Shah said that such law could negatively reflect our country in foreign nations.
Senator Dawood Khan Achakzai suggested that interior ministry, foreign ministry and election commission should be on board before passage of this bill.
Additional Secretary Election Commission Sher Afgan said that no other country in the world has given the right of vote to its expatriate population. He mentioned that only diplomats working in the foreign missions have this right through postal ballot papers.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2013.
Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Tuesday deferred passage of a draft legislative bill related to granting right of vote to the expatriate Pakistanis on the ground that it is a complicated issue and needs further deliberations to finalise the legislation.
The committee met here and discussed Electoral Law Amendment Ordinance 2013 to make the amendment in the ordinance aimed at giving the right of vote to Pakistanis living in various countries. The committee unanimously agreed to defer the draft bill till next sitting so that further discussion could be done.
Committee chairman Senator Kazim Khan observed that this is a lengthy process and passage of any bill is an easy job, but its implementation could be a challenge if it is enacted in haste.
He said there is a need to further discuss the issue so that a comprehensive legislation could be made.
PML-N Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah pointed out that giving such rights to the expatriate Pakistanis would have negative implications on the credibility of the election results. “I am not in favour of sending ballot boxes to foreign countries instead they should come here and poll their votes.”
Shah said that such law could negatively reflect our country in foreign nations.
Senator Dawood Khan Achakzai suggested that interior ministry, foreign ministry and election commission should be on board before passage of this bill.
Additional Secretary Election Commission Sher Afgan said that no other country in the world has given the right of vote to its expatriate population. He mentioned that only diplomats working in the foreign missions have this right through postal ballot papers.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2013.