Election Commission of Pakistan has constituted a special committee on right of franchise to overseas Pakistanis. According to an official statement issued on Wednesday, Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq has constituted a special committee on right of vote to overseas Pakistanis. The committee is headed by Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, Secretary, ECP.
The members of the committee are Chaudhry Qamar-uz-Zaman, Provincial Election Commissioner (Sindh), Syed Sher Afgan, Joint Secretary (LGE), M Rashid Bhatti, Section Officer (Law) and Saeed Ahmed Khan, Research Officer. Secretary, ECP said that the issue of right of vote to overseas Pakistanis is gaining prominence in print and electronic media particularly after the visit of Prime Minister of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia. The Prime Minister assured Pakistanis living there that they will be provided facility to vote.
The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis is also persistently asking the Election Commission to make arrangements for extending right of franchise to overseas Pakistanis. The committee will ensure threadbare examination of the issue and explore some viable solutions. The first meeting of the committee is being held at Islamabad on Monday March 9, 2009 in which the issue of grant of right of franchise to overseas Pakistanis will be discussed at length.-PR