ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday dismissed an appeal with regard to alteration in the procedure of overseas Pakistanis vote, ARY News reported.
Chief Justice Athar Minallah dismissed the petition announcing it as non-maintainable. “We hope the election commission will fulfill its constitutional responsibility,” the bench stated.
“Do you think the court takes back the powers of the Parliament,” Chief Justice asked the lawyer of the petitioner.
“I have collected all relevant laws of the world for the court,” Advocate Arif Chaudhry said.
“Didn’t the overseas Pakistanis exercised their right to vote in elections,” the bench questioned. “They did so in by elections,” the lawyer replied. “Are you respect the constitution, the Parliament must also esteemed,” the Justice remarked.
“This process began 30 years ago, we want continuation of the process, which halted,” the lawyer pleaded.
“You should peruse the laws of all American states, which are divergent with regard to the vote of the overseas nationals,” court perceived.
The court dismissed the appeal after hearing arguments from the lawyer of the petitioner.
In an previous hearing Justice Athar Minallah had said that the overseas Pakistanis not excluded in the amendment.
“The procedure for overseas Pakistanis vote is a complicated issue. Everyone brings petition to the court but no one knows the law,” chief justice IHC stated.
“In the United States 13 states of America deny the right to vote to their overseas citizens,” Justice Minallah remarked. “It is the mandate of the institutions to decide the procedure of vote,” he added.
It is to declared here that the National Assembly on May 26 approved a bill, reversing reforms familiarized by the earlier PTI government for voting right to overseas Pakistanis.
After the amendment, the overseas Pakistanis would not be able to cast their vote from abroad, though they could cast their votes while residing in Pakistan.
Furthermore, it has been recommended that reserved seats introduced for Pakistani diaspora.