ISLAMABAD, Feb 22: The Election Commission has shelved the plan of allowing 1.5 million overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes.

According to official sources the plan which was pursued by the PML government vigorously, has been shelved finding it totally unpracticable. It is feared that giving such right to overseas nationals would create diplomatic problems for the country as most of Pakistanis are living in Gulf countries which were averse to any political activities on their soil.

Only those Pakistanis serving in diplomatic missions can exercise their right of vote through postal ballot.

The Election Commission headed by Justice Fakhre Alam had carried out an extensive exercise to grant right of vote to overseas Pakistanis.

The Election Commission, after examining various systems, had expressed “optimism” that granting right of vote to overseas Pakistanis was possible.

Ministry of Foreign Office had informed the Election Commission that Pakistanis over 21 years of age, living in 76 countries of the world were about 15,41,932.

The Foreign Office informed the Election Commission that all the missions were unanimous that electioneering in the foreign countries must be avoided and the postal ballot was the only viable option for overseas Pakistanis to exercise their right of vote.

All the missions had recommended that active electioneering would further divide the already polarized Pakistani community in the Gulf and other countries.

Some of the Pakistani missions had expressed the view that the exercise of the right of franchise by expatriate nationals had been found practicable only by those countries where elections were held on the basis of proportional representation.

With countries where constituency-based electoral system, like Pakistan, it would be difficult to extend the right of vote even through the system of postal ballot. India and Bangladesh, after carrying similar exercise had also shelved the plan to grant this right.

The election commission was also informed that in countries where expatriate Pakistanis were in large number, computer literate extra hands would be needed for six months to collect data for registration of votes.

The Foreign Office also informed the Election Commission that complete record of expatriates was not available with the Pakistani missions.

The possibility of allowing right of vote to those Pakistanis who hold dual nationality was also considered, and it was found that there was no level hitch in casting ballots in two sovereign countries.