Senate body for giving voting rights to expatriates

Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development has decided to write a letter to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to recommend extension of voting right to Pakistani expatriates. The meeting of the committee was held here at the Parliament House with Senator Baz Muhammad Khan in the chair on Tuesday. The committee members discussed in detail the issue of voting right to overseas Pakistanis and it was informed that the ECP is the competent authority to decide on the matter and execute it.
The committee was informed that Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development supports the idea of voting right for the expatriates in principal. The committee decided to write a letter to the ECP recommending giving right of vote to overseas Pakistanis.
Overseas Pakistanis must get right to vote in coming election because they are sending huge amounts of foreign exchange to the country which strengthens Pakistani economy, the members said. On the question of authentic data about the number of Pakistani Diaspora, secretary Overseas Pakistanis informed the committee members that National Database and Registration Authority, Federal Investigation Agency and Foreign Office are collecting and compiling the data.
The committee was given update on status of cases of Pakistanis imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. It was told that the Foreign Office is waiting for funds from the Finance Division to solve this issue. Representative from Finance Division told the meeting that funds will be received within this week and matter will solved as soon as possible.
Regarding proposed schools to be constructed in Malakand Division by Workers Welfare Board, the committee was told that decision of having schools in Chakdara and Dargai have been approved by the provincial board and will be taken up by the general body as soon as it is constituted.
The committee members also discussed in detail the matters of scrutiny of the budgetary proposals relating to the Public Sector Development Program of Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis for the financial year 2018-19.