ISLAMABAD, July 22: Chief Election Commissioner Mohammad Farooq here on Saturday notified that people holding old National Identity Cards would also be registered as voters in the new electoral rolls.

According to a statement of the Election Commission, a notification in this regard has been issued and necessary instructions have been sent to staff concerned.

Talking to APP, Election Commission secretary Kanwar Mohammad Dilshad said feedback on the process of preparing fresh electoral rolls showed that a large number of eligible voters, especially those residing in remote villages and hilly areas, were still without computerised NICs.

He said leaders of some political parties and representatives of various civil organisations had also opposed registering only those people as voters who had computerised identity cards.

He clarified that old identity cards were not accepted in the enrolment process earlier because the Minister of Interior had notified that old NICs issued under the National Registration Act, 1973, would not be valid for any propose. But now, he added, the ministry had allowed old NICs in preparation of electoral rolls.—APP