No funds for arranging expat votes

PPP says ECP should conduct public hearing on the issue

ISLAMABAD: Despite getting a favourable verdict from the Supreme Court, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) might be unable to receive votes from overseas Pakistanis in the next elections too, as the government has refused to allocate funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to bring the plan to fruition.

Prior to the 2013 general elections, PTI chief Imran Khan had requested the apex court to direct the relevant authorities to ensure participation of overseas Pakistanis in the polls.

On Khan’s petition the court had directed the ECP to ascertain if Pakistanis living abroad could exercise their right to vote and to work out a plan in the light of other countries.

An ECP official told The Express Tribune that the commission had no financial autonomy, and giving the right of franchise to overseas Pakistanis without the federal government’s assistance was unfeasible.

In light of the Supreme Court’s judgment, the government tabled a bill in parliament. A parliamentary panel recently sought the top electoral body’s opinion and then deferred legislation on the issue on the grounds that the “plan is unfeasible at present”.

ECP Director General (Legal) Abdul Rehman told the lawmakers that the commission had four options to include overseas Pakistanis in the electoral process: regular vote casting; a proxy voting mechanism; setting up polling stations in different government buildings, including embassies; and electronic voting.

Rehman said that according to the National Database and Registration Authority’s records until May 9, 2013, more than 5.4 million Pakistanis possess a National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop).

The ECP official told the panel that the commission had complete data of Nicop holders, including their current residence. Around two million Pakistanis live in Saudi Arabia alone.

The official said that without government funding, polling booths could not be set up for even a single voter. “Huge resources are required for this exercise.”

Pakistan People’s Party backed the government’s decision. Senator Jahangir Badar said the ECP had done no homework on the project, adding that the commission should conduct public hearing on the issue.

Federal Law Secretary Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza told the panel that India had also given non-resident Indians the right to vote, while Sri Lanka had set up a separate election commission for its overseas citizens. Senator Badar asked ECP officials to study the Indian model. He said the commission had failed to satisfy the public as regards conducting transparent elections.

Senator Kazim Khan, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, asked the ECP to make the plan workable.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2015.