Nawaz Sharif demands right to vote for overseas Pakistanis
Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 9:24:24 by Faisal Farooq
Declaring overseas Pakistanis an asset of the nation, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif has said they should have the right to vote.
Addressing a party convention, the former two-time prime minister said overseas Pakistanis were rendering invaluable services to the country while staying away from their homes and near and dear ones.
In his view, contributions by Pakistani expatriates to the national economy are highly commendable and were acknowledged by the entire nation.
He noted, “Overseas Pakistanis have made all kinds of sacrifices for their country in the hour of need. The government has made no serious effort for the resolution of serious problems such as price hike, poverty and load shedding.”
The PML-N leader said dignity and honor of the country was enhanced during his tenures in the past, adding that national economy was strengthened and overseas investment was increased while Pakistan embarked on the journey to progress and prosperity.
Nawaz Sharif asked the Pakistanis to not lose heart despite the situation is critical.
He was of the opinion that elections are near and PML-N has a complete and comprehensive programme of national development and progress.
He was quite confident that the implementation of this manifesto will result in elimination of price hike, unemployment and loadshedding and transformation of the country into a sovereign and prosperous state as was envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
He stated, “People should exercise their right of vote judiciously and should not vote for such elements as have brought the country to such a pathetic state nor they should be hoodwinked by those who are trying to mislead them through the slogan of change.”
The former premier further said that the track-record of his party was witness to the fact that it has rendered record service to the people during both of its incomplete tenures and if the masses again brought PML-N into power this journey will again be resumed from the point where it was interrupted by a dictator on gunpoint.
Tags: ECP, Election Commission of Pakistan, elections, Nawaz Sharif, Overseas Pakistani, Pakistan, PML-N, ppp, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali JinnahShort URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=33827
Posted by Faisal Farooq
on Oct 9 2012. Filed under Pakistan, Politics.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Nawaz Sharif is the one who introduced the jagga tax on Overseas Pakistanis and later rulers finding his move very fine and useful with more vigor used that technique. In 1997 he held an Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad. He loudly addressed there that Overseas Pakistanis whether holding Pakistani passport or of any country they all are “our brothers, our family”, Pakistanis their own home and they can any time come to their home”. After having declaring them brothers and family members immediately he introduced the first jagga tax in the name of separate ID Card for Overseas Pakistanis. The foolish argument was that authorities abroad can not read Urdu language Pakistani Card hence needed an English language. The fact is in a foreign country no one every demand from you your Pakistani Card (except in Pakistan Embassies) and a Passport is the universal document. In 30 years no bank, no municipality, no LDA, no mobile company in Pakistan has ever asked me to show them my “foreign ID Card”. This move was merely to take money from the pockets of overseas Pakistanis. Since this proved very attractive hence since then this technique every government is using in different forms. This is the same novel idea of Nawaz Sharif which today in the new form viz 100 to 400% increase in telephone calls to Pakistan has been levied effective 1 October 2012. Nawaz Sharif has no interest with Overseas Pakistanis. In fact no political party has but only to the extent that some holding dual nationality could sit in parliament.