LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi said on Thursday that the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s direction to NADRA for development of I-voting system for overseas Pakistanis before the next general elections had opened a new chapter in Pakistan’s democratic history. He said that the government had been trying to deny the right of franchise to over seven million Pakistanis. “However, their conspiracy has been foiled by this historic SC verdict,” he said. He said that Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi founded the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation to protect expats’ rights. “PML-Q has always fought for the rights of Pakistanis living in the Middle East, UK, Europe, USA, Australia and other countries,” he added.The PML-Q central leader said that that cumulatively overseas Pakistanis contributed a huge share to the national GDP through remittances and by giving them the right of franchise we could now expect them to play an even greater role in the economic and social development of Pakistan.Elahi emphasized the need for developing a new vision which could optimally manage and optimize the immense potential of Pakistanis residing abroad. He said that the PML-Q was the real representative of the Pakistani diaspora as its leadership had always fought for overseas Pakistanis’ rights.He said that his family had taken huge steps for the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and their families, including establishment of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation by his grandfather Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi, free PIA transportation of coffins of deceased overseas Pakistanis by his uncle Chaudhry Shujat Hussain and a host of revolutionary steps taken by his father Chaudhry Parvez Elahi as the Punjab CM. Moonis Elahi said that the PML-Q would become the voice of Pakistanis living in Europe and other countries.
Published in Daily Times, January 26th 2018.