A daunting task

There are certain constitutional requirements that Pakistan has to follow. One of these requirements is that during the electoral process, secrecy of ballot paper must be maintained strictly. All Pakistanis – whether resident or non-resident – have the right to cast their vote in the elections conducted by the ECP. However, it must be understood that national security and state sovereignty should never be compromised. Recent hacking campaigns that attacked high-security institutions in the US have exposed loopholes in the internet-based systems. The logistics of holding elections in countries like the US are daunting.

Also, those overseas Pakistanis who have pledged that they “absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any state, or sovereignty, of whom, or which, I have heretofore been a subject or citizen” and have further sworn to “support and defend the constitution and laws” of their adopted country shouldn’t be allowed to vote.

Malik Tariq Ali

Lahore