Pakistanis abroad have the right to vote: 'Why can't those who send dollars play their part in domestic politics'
"Every Pakistani living abroad is worried about the situation in the country and wants to play a role in domestic politics," he said. And when overseas Pakistanis can send money to their families, who play an important role in the country's economic development, then why can't these dollar senders play their part in the country's politics.
This is according to Muhammad Anwar, a 75-year-old Pakistani living in the United States who has been away from his homeland for the last 30 years with his family.
He says that his heart and the hearts of millions of overseas Pakistanis like him beat in Pakistan and because of this closeness they should have the right to vote.
This was the view of Khalid Saeed Qureshi, a resident of Bradford, UK, who told the BBC's Gagan Sabharwal that he fully supported the decision taken by the Pakistani government.
Overseas Pakistanis have a lot of problems like land issues. No one has ever asked about them before. "People want us to stay in touch and we should contact the Member of Parliament for our area, and this decision of the government will make that possible."
However, when asked why Pakistanis abroad should have the right to vote when they do not live in Pakistan, Khalid Saeed Qureshi said that it is true that they are not in Pakistan but their Ancestors have lands, connections, and they constantly come and go in Pakistan.
He said that as a foreigner of Pakistan he could not bring any major change from outside but he could give his opinion.
"All we can do is openly criticize the candidate who is standing in the election, tell the people there what their problems are and whether this candidate can solve those problems or not. And our opinion is better because we participate in (British) politics here. We understand the essentials of true democracy. "
Raja Khan, who lives in the UK, told the BBC that all Pakistanis abroad should have the right to vote because they still have strong ties to their own country.
"We are very concerned about everything there. Politics there, religious, social issues, etc., we are more in touch with these issues than Pakistanis living there. For example, we play a better role in the election of a candidate than the Pakistanis living in Pakistan.
Another Bradford-based Pakistani woman, Tasneem Akhtar, also told Pakistanis abroad about voting that she was happy that it had become law and that Imran Khan was the first prime minister to do so much for Pakistanis abroad. What is it.
"Objections are not against giving voting rights to Pakistanis abroad but against the procedure"
On the other hand, the opposition parties in the National Assembly of Pakistan say that the forcible passage of the Electoral Reforms Bill by the present government in a joint sitting of Parliament is another form of 'Result Transmission System' (RTS).
The opposition said that just as Imran Khan was imposed on the Pakistani people after the alleged installation of the RTS system in the 2018 elections, so too now overseas Pakistanis and electronic voting machine voting. Attempts are being made to carry forward this 'terrible agenda' which is detrimental to the country.
Syed Khurshid Shah, a member of the National Assembly and leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, told the BBC's Shehzad Malik that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was aware that its popularity among the people was rapidly declining. The solution he has come up with is to give the right to vote to Pakistanis living abroad.
Syed Khurshid Shah said that just as there are separate seats for overseas Pakistanis in the Legislative Assembly of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, there should also be separate seats for overseas Pakistanis in the National Assembly of Pakistan. Why not more than ten seats.
He said he had spoken to key government officials a few days ago and assured them that if the government negotiates with the opposition parties and if the government agrees. If revealed, he would persuade the opposition parties to co-operate with the government in enacting separate legislation for overseas Pakistanis.
Khurshid
Syed Khurshid Shah said that skepticism has been expressed over the number of elections held in Pakistan so far.
Syed Khurshid Shah said that the issue has been discussed with the officials of all the opposition parties who have bureaus abroad and all of them have agreed that the government should vote for Overseas Pakistanis. Giving legislation is nothing more than 'lolly pop'.
The PPP leader said that it was the responsibility of the Election Commission to hold elections and the Election Commission conducts elections under the constitution while amending the constitution requires a two-thirds majority.Which the government does not have.
He said that the opposition parties would take the matter to the Supreme Court as elections could be transparent only if all parties were taken into confidence in the legislation.
Syed Khurshid Shah further said that there are three to four lakh voters in each constituency of the National Assembly and it is very difficult for any successful candidate to meet each of his voters during the entire five years. How will those who live abroad be asked about their problems?
The PPP leader said that skepticism has been expressed over the number of elections held in Pakistan so far and now voting should take place in a place where the Election Commission has no jurisdiction. How can voting be trusted?
Raja Nazim Ali, who lives in the British city of Bradford, is a senior PML-N official and said that his party was not against giving Pakistanis abroad the right to vote but sought clarification on its modalities. ۔
"It simply came to our notice then. How will it be Our party's position is that there should be representation from here instead of voting. Representatives should be elected from among Pakistanis abroad and they should make their voice heard in the Pakistani parliament.
He said that there should be five to seven MNAs and two to three senators.