Will overseas Pakistanis have voting rights in future elections?

The Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs convened to discuss the possibility of granting overseas Pakistanis, including dual citizens, the right to vote in future elections. The meeting, chaired by Senator Dr. Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, focused on finding ways to enable the participation of Pakistanis living abroad in the electoral process.

The committee emphasized the importance of extending voting rights to overseas Pakistanis, with the Chairman questioning why Pakistan couldn’t implement postal balloting, a method successfully used by several countries. He pointed out that the current legal framework neither grants voting rights to dual nationals nor establishes a system to enable their participation in elections.

A representative from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) provided a briefing, highlighting that previous efforts had been hindered by security concerns surrounding internet voting. An audit had advised against online voting, citing risks like hacking and fraud, which made it unsafe for general elections.

The Chairman stressed that all Pakistanis abroad or with dual citizenship should have the right to vote, proposing postal balloting as a potential solution. While the ECP representatives acknowledged that postal balloting could be practical and cost-effective, they raised concerns about its vulnerability to malpractice due to the absence of direct supervision.

Drawing inspiration from international examples, the Chairman urged the committee to explore more advanced electoral systems, referencing Brazil’s use of modern technologies in its elections. Senator Shibli Faraz expressed his belief that hesitation to adopt systems like postal balloting or electronic voting machines (EVMs) reflects a lack of commitment to free and fair elections.

The Chairman then posed the question of whether the committee would support constitutional and legal amendments to facilitate these voting systems. However, Senator Kamran Murtaza voiced concerns, suggesting that such changes might not align with existing constitutional provisions.

With limited support for potential amendments, the Chairman adjourned the meeting, stating, “If committee members are unwilling to consider necessary changes for a transparent and modern voting system, further discussion would be unproductive.”