ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to register overseas Pakistanis so they can exercise their right to vote for the upcoming by-polls scheduled to be held in October.
ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob issued the orders during a joint meeting between NADRA and ECP.
According to the ECP, “only those Pakistanis residing abroad with a machine-readable passport (MRP) and a National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop) will be eligible for registration,”
“The registration process must be completed by Sept 15,” the ECP asserted.
NADRA was also asked to provide a demonstration of the i-voting software which was developed to facilitate overseas who wished to vote in the by-elections.
The Supreme Court (SC) had ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to make e-voting rolls and inform the court by August 17.
A three-member SC bench had heard a case pertaining to extending the right to overseas Pakistanis. ECP secretary had told the court that an operational plan of the e-voting was completed in collaboration with the National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA).
According to NADRA Chairman Usman Mobin, there are on average 29,000 Pakistani voters overseas registered in each National Assembly constituency.