ECP to register overseas Pakistanis as voters from Sept 1

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is set to begin the voter registration of overseas Pakistanis from September 1 for the upcoming by-elections on seats vacated in the national and provincial assemblies.

The registration process will last until September 15.

The ECP said an awareness campaign will also be launched in this regard with the help of the Foreign Ministry, NADRA and Pakistan’s embassies abroad.

On Aug 17, a bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, directed the ECP to take necessary measures with the help of NADRA to ensure participation of the overseas Pakistanis in the by-elections.

The electoral body is to conduct by-elections on seats of the national and provincial assemblies which were vacated by political leaders who returned on more than one seats in the July 25 elections and constituencies where the polls couldn’t be held owing to some reasons.

The ECP has issued the schedule for the by-elections according to which the voting for 37 seats – 11 of the National Assembly and 26 of the provincial assemblies – will be held on October 14.