Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

Some additional information on NICOP:

http://www.pakistanconsulatehouston.org/national-id.asp

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[TD=“class: heading”]National ID for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP)

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[TD=“class: contenttext”]**NICOP is an official identification document for Pakistani Citizens working / living abroad. NICOP can be produced for personal identification in place of Computerized NIC (CNIC) within Pakistan and abroad. The card is supposed to be produced at domestic or international entry or exit terminals.

The NADRA Ordinance envisages issuance of NICOP to Pakistani workers, emigrants, citizens, or Pakistanis holding dual nationality, having been registered under the NADRA Ordinance. NICOP is an identification document to be used as a substitute for the NIC as and when requested.

As per this ordinance, NADRA has been entrusted with the task of registering the overseas Pakistanis. NICOP, in addition to providing the authenticity of the individual, has additional features at the same time, as the person possessing the NICOP is entitled to visa-free entry into Pakistan.
**
Currently application forms for NICOP are processed only at New York and Los Angeles Consulate.

Pakistan has dual citizenship agreements with the following countries which allow citizens to hold nationalities of both countries, i.e. Pakistani as well as foreign nationalities at the same time.

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  • Australia
  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Egypt
  • France
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Jordan
  • New Zealand
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syria
  • The Netherlands (Holland)
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

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Who can apply for NICOP

  • Citizens holding nationalities of above countries along with Pakistani Nationality are issued a NICOP as an Identification Document
  • Pakistani citizens staying abroad, having passport or old NIC
  • Citizens of dual national countries holding Pakistani NIC/Passport even if they are using foreign passport for traveling.
  • Siblings and dependents of the above

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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

So NICOP is an ID card basically.

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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

yes as far as I know you can use it for purchasing land and for identification purposes, its a legal document.

There are only 16 countries with which Pakistan allows dual citizenships, the Pakistanis other than these countries would have taken up the citizenships of their host countries after renouncing Pakistani citizenship and they should not be able to vote. Germany, Norway and some other European countries would be in that list. But lets see in the end what kind of procedure is adopted.

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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

Yup a legal document. But not a proof of citizenship document, which is what I was concerned about. Voting will remain within the bounds of the constitution.

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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

The part I have highlighted in red is a bit contradictory at present, as dual nationality is allowed (with certain countries) by law, and the dual nationals can hold Pakistani passports/NICOP so how can they make them mutually exclusive. Any ways, lets see what the final modalities of this issue will be.http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/15/overseas-pakistanis-get-right-to-vote.html

Overseas Pakistanis get right to vote

**ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission has granted 3.7 million Overseas Pakistanis the right to vote. Their names will be included in the preliminary electoral rolls.

**However, modalities for the intricate plan are yet to be worked out. Informed sources said various options were considered at a meeting presided over by Secretary of Election Commission Ishtiak Ahmad Khan on Tuesday.

The matters discussed at the meeting included setting up polling stations in embassies and consulates in over a dozen countries where large numbers of Pakistanis are living or work and expatriates in other countries being allowed to cast their votes through postal ballot.

The sources said that another proposal discussed was to allocate some seats in national and provincial assemblies with Overseas Pakistanis being the electoral college. The proposed criteria for candidates will be a minimum stay of three years abroad and remittances of at least $50,000.** Those possessing dual nationality will have to surrender their foreign nationality to qualify as a voter.**

EC Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan told this reporter that the total number of Overseas Pakistanis was 6.7 million, but only 3.7 million of them holding national identity cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) would be eligible to vote.

He said there were 1.7 million Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia and 1.2 million each in the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates.

The other countries with large concentration of Pakistanis include United States (0.9 million), Canada (0.3 million), Oman (0.2 million), Kuwait (150,000), Greece (90,000), Germany (78,000), France and Scotland (60,000 each), Denmark (30,000) and Australia (27,000).

At the meeting, he invited suggestions for ways to get Overseas Pakistanis involved in the political process in Pakistan. The meeting discussed ways of enabling expatriates to cast their votes in a fair, transparent and acceptable manner.

The IT branch proposed that a detailed study should be carried to benefit from experience of other countries. But the EC secretary said “we have the first hand knowledge of our country and our condition and we must be dynamic and the pioneer in taking initiative towards a positive democratic system”.

He said all relevant ministries were committed to playing their role to enable overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes with ease.

**Each ministry will formulate its proposal and present it to the committee in a meeting likely to be held next month.
**
**Though the work on a proposal to give the right to vote to Overseas Pakistanis has been continuing for quite some time, the Supreme Court, on a petition filed by PTI chief Imran Khan, recently directed the Election Commission to study whether Pakistanis living abroad could exercise the right and work out a plan in the light and experience of other countries.
**
The meeting was attended by representatives of the ministries of law, finance, Overseas Pakistanis and International Foundation for Electoral System.

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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

as long as you have Pakistani passport, then there shouldn’t be a issue… but for those who have given it up as per requirement of the particular country… they won’t be allowed or will they?

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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

From what I can gather Ali it merely means that out of 6.7 Pakistan abroad only 3.7 are actually Pakistani nationals presently. Or it could mean that 3.7 are old enough to vote.

And the notion of surrendering their foreign nationality complies with most EU regulations I believe. They are doing the smart thing. They are just copying what other democratic countries are doing with large Diasporas.

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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

People usually vote on bread-and-butter issues? What would be our bread-and-butter issue? We have habit of sitting in our air conditioned offices and b!tch about how things are so bad back home.

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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

How many seats in NA and PA these 3.7 M will vote for? or they are going to vote as per their constituency?

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Re: Overseas pakistanis get voting rights

All expats can become a party ( pressure group) instead of joining a party provided they are allocated some 10/12 seats in NA and bargain with the govt to impose Economic and Education reforms in Pakistan!!! but i know that is far-fetched idea/dream...

Most probably, the votes will be distributed among the parties and things will continue as it is...

There can be some more pressure on the voters of MQM who have relative residing out of Pakistan to make sure (for their own safety) that their expat relatives cast vote in favor of MQM.. j/k