PTI’s ‘premature’ petition dismissed
The petition called for giving overseas Pakistanis right to vote
The petition called for giving overseas Pakistanis right to vote. STOCK IMAGE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed on Monday a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairperson Imran Khan requesting the court to make necessary arrangements to facilitate overseas Pakistanis to exercise their right to vote in the forthcoming local bodies’ elections in the capital.
The division bench comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and Justice Athar Minallah dismissed the petition terming it “premature” as the law regarding local bodies’ elections has yet to be approved by the Senate.
The petitioners — Imran Khan, Dr Arif Alvi and Roxana Bhatti of the PTI — have made Election Commission of Pakistan, NADRA chairperson, the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation’s managing director and secretaries of the Cabinet Division and ministries of law and justice, foreign affairs, parliamentary affairs, overseas Pakistanis, interior, finance and the inter-provincial coordination division.
The petitioners’ counsel, Farrukh Dall, said the ECP failed to implement the Supreme Court’s April 29, 2013 decision, adding it was a cause of great concern for overseas Pakistanis that they had no say in the legislative process of Pakistan even though they were an important pillar of the national economy as they remit billions of dollars annually.
“Being citizens of Pakistan, they have the right to become part of the political mainstream of the country,” he stated.
The petitioners argue that in 2014, overseas Pakistanis added $17 billion to the country’s foreign exchange through home remittances, which was nearly six per cent of Pakistan’s GDP.
In around 159 countries, there are more than eight million Pakistanis, who contribute greatly to the development of Pakistan and more than five million of them are eligible voters who are patriot no less than the people living in the homeland, reads the petition.
Many developed and undeveloped countries in the world do recognise the right of vote to their citizens residing abroad.
“Unfortunately, overseas Pakistanis have been deprived of exercising their right of franchise mainly on account of inaction and non-performance of the state organs and functionaries directly responsible for making provisions for affording the right of franchise to the citizens of Pakistan residing abroad,” Dall said.
Justice Siddiqui observed that the party did not give the same right to the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa before the local bodies’ elections. He said that the party was in power in the province and conducted the elections but did not fight for the rights of the overseas Pakistanis.
He said the Supreme Court’s order would be implemented “come what may”, adding that the court would protect the rights of the people but first let the law be formulated.
Subsequently, the bench dismissed the petition.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2015.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed on Monday a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairperson Imran Khan requesting the court to make necessary arrangements to facilitate overseas Pakistanis to exercise their right to vote in the forthcoming local bodies’ elections in the capital.
The division bench comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and Justice Athar Minallah dismissed the petition terming it “premature” as the law regarding local bodies’ elections has yet to be approved by the Senate.
The petitioners — Imran Khan, Dr Arif Alvi and Roxana Bhatti of the PTI — have made Election Commission of Pakistan, NADRA chairperson, the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation’s managing director and secretaries of the Cabinet Division and ministries of law and justice, foreign affairs, parliamentary affairs, overseas Pakistanis, interior, finance and the inter-provincial coordination division.
The petitioners’ counsel, Farrukh Dall, said the ECP failed to implement the Supreme Court’s April 29, 2013 decision, adding it was a cause of great concern for overseas Pakistanis that they had no say in the legislative process of Pakistan even though they were an important pillar of the national economy as they remit billions of dollars annually.
“Being citizens of Pakistan, they have the right to become part of the political mainstream of the country,” he stated.
The petitioners argue that in 2014, overseas Pakistanis added $17 billion to the country’s foreign exchange through home remittances, which was nearly six per cent of Pakistan’s GDP.
In around 159 countries, there are more than eight million Pakistanis, who contribute greatly to the development of Pakistan and more than five million of them are eligible voters who are patriot no less than the people living in the homeland, reads the petition.
Many developed and undeveloped countries in the world do recognise the right of vote to their citizens residing abroad.
“Unfortunately, overseas Pakistanis have been deprived of exercising their right of franchise mainly on account of inaction and non-performance of the state organs and functionaries directly responsible for making provisions for affording the right of franchise to the citizens of Pakistan residing abroad,” Dall said.
Justice Siddiqui observed that the party did not give the same right to the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa before the local bodies’ elections. He said that the party was in power in the province and conducted the elections but did not fight for the rights of the overseas Pakistanis.
He said the Supreme Court’s order would be implemented “come what may”, adding that the court would protect the rights of the people but first let the law be formulated.
Subsequently, the bench dismissed the petition.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2015.