Daily Times

The Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs held a comprehensive discussion on granting overseas Pakistanis, including dual citizens, the right to vote in future elections. The meeting was presided over by Senator Dr. Mohammad Humayun Mohmand. Highlighting the significance of extending voting rights to overseas Pakistanis, the Chairman said that many countries successfully implement postal balloting and questioned why Pakistan could not adopt a similar mechanism. He observed that the current legal framework neither grants voting rights to dual citizens nor provides a system to facilitate their participation. A representative from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) briefed the committee on past efforts, explaining that a third-party audit had previously advised against internet voting due to significant security concerns, including the risk of hacking. The audit concluded that online voting was unsafe for general elections. The Chairman stressed that all Pakistanis living abroad or holding dual citizenship should have the right to vote, suggesting that postal balloting could be a viable solution for Pakistan. While the ECP representatives acknowledged the practicality and cost-effectiveness of postal balloting, they cautioned that it could be prone to malpractice due to the lack of direct supervision. Drawing from international experiences, the Chairman asked the committee members to explore advanced electoral systems, citing Brazil’s progress in implementing modern technologies for elections. Senator Shibli Faraz added that reluctance to adopt systems like postal balloting or electronic voting machines (EVMs) reflects a lack of commitment to ensuring free and fair elections. The Chairman posed the question of whether the committee would support amending the laws and Constitution to facilitate voting systems such as postal balloting and EVMs. However, Senator Kamran Murtaza expressed reservations, arguing that such measures might not align with constitutional provisions. Faced with limited support for constitutional and legal amendments, the Chairman adjourned the meeting, stating, “If the committee members are unwilling to consider changes to enable a transparent and modern voting system, there is no point in continuing the discussion.”