Ali Jahangir Siddiqui urges overseas Pakistanis to register for by-polls

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GEO NEWS
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WASHINGTON: Pakistan's ambassador to the United States Ali Jahangir Siddiqui on Tuesday urged overseas Pakistanis to register to vote in the upcoming by-polls.

The Pakistani ambassador said, "It is important for overseas Pakistanis to take part in the by-polls."

“Head to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) website and register there,” Siddiqui urged.

The online registration for overseas Pakistanis commenced on September 1 and will continue till September 15.

By-polls will be held on 11 National Assembly and 26 provincial assembly seats on October 14.

The ECP has launched a website for i-voting, through which overseas Pakistanis can cast their vote online.

Moreover, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will facilitate voters through its online system.

NADRA has also issued a video for guiding overseas voters and the registration process.

On August 17, the Supreme Court (SC) had allowed Pakistanis living abroad to vote in the by-election.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had remarked that overseas Pakistanis would be participating in the by-election through i-voting, a system that allows voters to cast ballots from any computer connected to the internet anywhere in the world.

On August 14, the ECP said pilot projects would be initiated for voting rights to overseas Pakistanis, which would not affect the results of the by-election.

The ECP said the decision on the use of i-voting would be made after several tests and pilot projects would be initiated in a limited area instead of an entire constituency.

It said the IVTF was formed on the orders of the SC of Pakistan, adding that the task force comprises officials of NADRA and the ECP's Law and IT Wings.