ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi said the constitution of Pakistan gave the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis and the government ensured their inclusion in polling for the next general election through a simplified online procedure after passage of the legislation from the Parliament.

Addressing overseas Pakistanis at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday, the president said the expatriates had an important role in supporting the national economy, adding that depriving them of their voting rights could be a big discrimination.

He said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) were collaborating to prepare the voters’ lists in a transparent manner.

About details of the online voting, the president said the government in the near future would open the registration window for overseas Pakistan for 5-6 days.

He said on inclusion in the NADRA’s voter list after registration, the name of the dual nationals would grey-out in the local lists of the country.

Through smartphones, a code would be received to be used with secrecy in voting.

The president said the voting options for overseas Pakistanis through postal ballot and physical polling at embassies had complexities and non-practicalities.

Internet voting, he said, was the most practical way for overseas Pakistanis to poll their votes.

He stressed that Pakistan must adopt the new technologies to progress in various fields, including the use of electronic voting machines.

To overcome the apprehension of non-transparency, the algorithms of the cast votes would be mixed-up, he added.

The president said he had proposed putting in place an audit system for which the passwords keys could be given to both the chief election commission and the chief justice of Pakistan.

He emphasised that an effective audit system could prevent hacking of the online voting system.

He said the efforts were being made to simplify the voting process for overseas Pakistanis.

He urged the overseas Pakistanis to share their knowledge and expertise with the locals in the homeland to help them excel in the world.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said that the efforts of the president and the prime minister for the rights of overseas Pakistanis were praiseworthy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021