Govt resorting to political point-scoring by letting overseas Pakistanis vote via internet: Kunwar Dilshad

Dilshad says letting overseas Pakistani vote via internet balloting will compromise confidentiality

By Web Desk
June 14, 2021
Former secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Kunwar Dilshad. Photo: File.

Former secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Kunwar Dilshad on Monday said that government spokespersons are resorting to political point-scoring by lauding the move to let overseas Pakistanis vote via the internet but stressed that the matter is about the sovereignty of the ECP.

Dilshad also expressed his doubts about the process of internet balloting and said that all data will be transferred from abroad to the National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) as soon as an overseas Pakistani would cast their vote, therefore, there will be no privacy.

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Dilshad said that in the past, overseas Pakistanis would visit the country to especially cast their votes.

On June 10, the Government of Pakistan announced that it has given overseas Pakistanis the right to vote in the National Assembly.

Taking to Twitter, former special assistant to the prime minister for overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Bukhari confirmed the news and lauded the PTI-led government, particularly Prime Minister Imran Khan, for making it possible.

"Congratulations, my people, you have every right to become part of the decision-making process in this country," he continued.

The decision was made as part of the Election Act Amendment Bill, 2020.

PML-N supports overseas Pakistanis' representation in parliament

A day ago, PML-N Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal said that his party supports the representation of overseas Pakistanis in the parliament.

"Pakistanis settled abroad are our country's assets," said Iqbal.

He said that there are several proposals regarding how the votes of overseas Pakistanis can be guaranteed protection, which must be implemented after a national consensus.

Iqbal said that this will be imperative in ensuring there is no foreign intervention such as the one that was witnessed in the US elections.

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