ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday has scheduled for April 12, a presentation wherein National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) officials will be giving a briefing to parliamentarians and other concerned parties about the software enabling overseas Pakistanis to vote.
“We find it expedient that such presentation be shared with representatives of the people of Pakistan; therefore, we direct that the said presentation must be given on April 12 at 3:30 pm. in the auditorium of this court,” a court order released on Friday in the overseas Pakistanis voting rights case read.
The apex court also enlisted the names of officials that must be present during the presentation. The list includes two representatives of all the 18 political parties represented in the Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies. Six members each from the National Assembly and the Senate, to be nominated by the speaker, Senate chairman, secretaries of the Cabinet Division, Ministry of Information Technology, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza Khan and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) member are also required to be present for the briefing.
For third-party evaluation, IT experts from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Institute of Business Administration Karachi (IBA) and all Provincial Information Technology Boards and any other expert or officer as the ECP may deem appropriate are welcome to join in.
Personnel of print and electronic media are also asked to cover the session.
Earlier on April 2, NADRA gave a detailed presentation to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar along with Justice Umer Ata Bandial and Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan about overseas Pakistanis being able to cast their vote in the general elections through the internet.
They apprised the judges that a preliminary software has been developed to extend the electronic voting facility to overseas Pakistanis in the general election.
In January, NADRA had told the top court that the software enabling overseas Pakistanis to vote will be functional by April.
