Voting rights given to expats

Published February 14, 2012

The Election Commission of Pakistan. —AFP File Photo

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission has decided to give voting rights to overseas Pakistanis in general elections.

The landmark decision would enable 3.7 million overseas Pakistanis to participate in elections.

A high level meeting of the commission held here on Tuesday with EC Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan in the chair. The meeting was also attended by the officials of foreign and law ministry.

The meeting decided to give the voting right to the Pakistanis living in other countries and registering their names in the electoral rolls.

The meeting also mulled over mechanism of voting which included postal balloting, setting up polling booths in Pakistani embassies and other options.

The voting mechanism would be decided later in another meeting.—DawnNews

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