Pakistanis in Oman to cast votes in referendum

The government of Oman has allowed Pakistanis residing in the Sultanate to take part in the direct balloting in Tuesday's referendum meant to ensure a five-year presidential term for General Pervez Musharraf.

"We have been overwhelmed by this unprecedented Omani gesture," Pakistan Ambassador Karam Elahi told Gulf News yesterday, adding that it reflected the deepening bilateral ties which was boosted last April when His Majesty Sultan Qaboos paid a landmark visit to Pakistan.

"The two leaders are at the same wavelength, enjoying great rapport."

He said the frequency of exchange of high-level visits has increased and a Pakistan military delegation, led by Air Vice-Marshal Tareq Masood Akhtar of National Defence College, ended its six-day visit only on Friday. "Both sides are keen to boost defence links, especially in the training field."

The delegation, which was received by Lt. Gen. Khamis bin Humaid Al Kalbani, Oman's Chief of Staff, also exchanged views with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Economy and visited military sites before leaving for London for a week-long tour of the United Kingdom.

This is the first time that non-resident Pakistanis (NRPs) have been allowed by Islamabad to cast vote for a national electoral exercise.

Karam Elahi said he was expecting handsome turn-out. "Pakistanis living in Oman and elsewhere in the Gulf want the good governance they find here which was missing back home."

He said the embassy's job was to ensure maximum facilities for those wanting to vote in the referendum, for which polling booths have been set up at all Pakistan schools in Muscat, Salalah, Sohar, Nizwa and Musannah.

Principals of the schools will be presiding officers. Polling will start at 7.30am and close by 6pm. A voter will have to carry passport or his ID card. "We want to make the exercise as smooth and transparent as possible."

Suhail Siddiqui, community welfare attache at the embassy, said of the 70,000 Pakistanis living in Oman about 40,000 are eligible to vote.

Of the total population, 20,000 are residing in Buraimi, who will be going to the UAE's border town of Al Ain, where the exercise is being conducted by the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

"This has been done for the convenience of our compatriots in Buraimi, where there is no Pakistan school."

He said about 17,000 postal ballots have also been distributed and a good number of them have been returned to the embassy.