Govt committed to give vote right to Pak expats

Monday, August 20, 2012 - Islamabad—Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that Pakistan Peoples Party believes that expatriate Pakistanis should not only have right to vote but they should also be made eligible for membership of the Parliament. He was talking to a delegation of expatriate Pakistanis based in London which led by Chaudhry Javed Iqbal called on him in Islamabad.

The Prime Minister said the government is striving to bring about a consensus so that the Constitution can be amended and expatriate Pakistanis can be given right to contest elections. Prime Minister Pervez Ashraf said Pakistanis abroad send their hard earned money to Pakistan because of love for their country of origin. He said remittances being sent by expatriates are on the rise. This is very helpful in stabilizing the economy.

The Prime Minister said‚ we have braced many challenges in the last four and half years and are now completing our tenure and getting ready for the next elections.

He said Pakistan Peoples Party and its coalition partners are committed to a transparent‚ free and impartial election in the country.

Talking of inflation in the country‚ the Prime Minister said increase in prices of oil in the international market is one of the main reasons of rising prices in the country. He said in past four and half years‚ Pakistan had faced floods‚ terrorism and economic crunch because of slow down in the global economy. The members of the delegation thanked the Prime Minister for sparing time to meet them and assured him of their cooperation.—NNI