Daily Times

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday served notice on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and Awami Muslim League head Sheikh Rashid Ahmed regarding the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis. The top court also served notices on Attorney General of Pakistan and NADRA for assistance in the case. A three member bench headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the petitions. Justice Ahsan remarked that whether the overseas Pakistanis had to come here to cast their votes or they were entitled for voting from abroad. “It seemed that the method of casting vote had been made difficult for overseas Pakistanis,” he remarked. He further noted that the right of vote was not abolished, but the method was made difficult. The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the amendment to Election Act was violation of the spirit of the verdict of the top court. In compliance of the court orders, NADRA prepared a system and experimented it in by-polls. The court instructed NADRA and Attorney General of Pakistan to assist the bench that whether the new method of casting vote was as per the standard or not. The further hearing of the case was adjourned for two weeks.