By Our Web Desk
NEW YORK– Pakistani-Americans has enthusiastically welcomed Pakistan government’s move to award voting rights to overseas Pakistanis in the next general elections, saying it was a “momentous moment.”
The news about the grant to Pakistani expatriates of the right to franchise spread fast among the community members soon after Information and Broadcasting Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain announced it in Islamabad. The decision was taken at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, which was presided over by the Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“As an American, it gives me immense pleasure to learn about being able to vote in the Pakistani election,” the head of American-Pakistani Political Action Committee (APPAC), Dr. Ijaz Ahmad, said in a meeting.
“As someone who grew up in Pakistan and still feels very close to our ancestral motherland, it gives me comfort that even living thousands of miles away we can take a part in the democratic process and have a say in electing the right candidates who will take our beloved country in the right direction and resolve so many of the issues that our fellow Pakistanis are dealing with back home,” Dr. Ijaz said.
Tahir Javed, founder of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus Foundation and Democratic leader, called the decision “Great news.”
“Overseas Pakistanis are more loyal to their homeland — they always say ‘yes’ when there is a need,” Javed added. Johnny Bashir, president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, USA, said it was a “wonderful news.”
Bashir said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government had fulfilled a long-standing demand of the Pakistanis residing abroad, and hoped that action would follow on various other demands submitted to the government.
He urged the government to outline the details about how the decision to give voting rights to overseas Pakistanis would be implemented, especially the mechanism.
Shahid Raza Ranjha, secretary-general of PTI, New York, said he was “very happy” to hear the news. Ranjha, who is a member of PTI’s Duel National Right Committee, urged the government to push for the completion of legislative process on the ordinance that grants voting rights to overseas Pakistan.”
