ISLAMABAD, June 8 The Election Commission has rejected a proposed draft legislation to grant overseas Pakistanis the right to vote in the general election and to have representation in the national and provincial legislatures.

At a meeting of the “Special Committee on Right of Vote for Overseas Pakistanis” it was noted that various areas would require proper legislation, including amendments to the Constitution, Representation of the People's Act 1976, Delimitations of the Constituencies Act, 1974 and Electoral Rolls Act 1974, besides other relevant rules.

According to a document available with Dawn, the committee comprises senior officers from relevant ministries and divisions.

The meeting was informed that 5.5 million Pakistanis were living in 105 countries. Various interesting questions were raised during the meeting, including where a returning officer would be based to receive and scrutinise nomination papers and where appellant tribunals would be constituted to hear appeals against rejection or acceptance of nomination papers if the right to representation in legislatures was given to overseas Pakistanis.

Another pertinent question was, how the electorate for a candidate to a seat in provincial assembly would be divided into various constituencies, if according to the proposal, a seat was reserved for overseas Pakistanis in each provincial assembly.

If a person was competing for a seat in the National Assembly from Australia, how he would be able to run his campaign in Saudi Arabia. It was pointed out that political activities were banned in certain countries, and even in countries where there was no bar on political activities otherwise, the permission for establishment of polling stations, holding meetings for canvassing and launching political campaigns may have to be obtained from respective governments.

The operational complexities involved in out-of-country voting and the cost involved in the registration of expatriate electorates was also discussed and it was noted that overseas voting operations would cost at least between $10 to 30 per voter.

It was said that if the right to vote was eventually granted to expatriates and an electoral roll containing names of all overseas Pakistanis was developed, the next step would be that it will have to ensure delivery of election materials in all the countries where right to vote is extended to expatriate Pakistanis, establishment of polling stations, appointment of polling staff, necessary training for polling staff and in time receipt of election results from these locations.

It was highlighted that costs for proposed external voting programme might include security of persons, locations and materials, special security arrangements in case of a perceived risk for voters or ballot papers, recruitment, salaries and training, office spaces, printing and transportation of election material, cost of registration and polling, special communication programme to reach external voters, travelling expenses for administrative staff and oversight and observation missions.

It was suggested that it would be appropriate, in the first place to define the term overseas Pakistanis for the purpose of extending the right of vote, with regard to possession of required legal documents and duration of stay abroad to qualify for external voting facility.

It was pointed out that MoUs were needed to be signed with host countries, as most of the countries where Pakistanis were concentrated do not allow political activities. Eligibility criterion for voters as well as candidates to fill reserved seats for overseas Pakistanis has to be defined. A separate electoral roll for overseas Pakistanis will have to be prepared. Financial resources will have to be worked out and earmarked for registration of voters and actual conduct of elections. Necessary constitutional and legal amendments will have to be made prior to proceeding further in the matter.