LAHORE - The Supreme Court of Pakistan Friday gave overseas Pakistanis right to vote, directing the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure it during the upcoming by-elections in the country as a pilot project.

A three-member bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, passed the order on a number of petitions seeking right to vote for overseas Pakistanis at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry. Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan were the other members of the bench.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, solicitor Muhammad Dawood Ghaznavi and others had moved the petitions for overseas Pakistanis’ right to vote.

During the proceedings, ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh and Nadra Chairman Usman Mobeen also appeared before the bench. The ECP secretary said that rules had been made under Election Act, 2017, and a mechanism for I-voting (Internet voting) had also been established with the contribution of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to overseas Pakistanis’ right to vote. He said a mechanism of I-voting (Internet voting) had been evolved with the contribution of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to overseas Pakistanis’ right to vote.

The CJP remarked:  “Congratulations to overseas Pakistanis. Their right to vote has been accepted. He further said: “Now it is the matter of its implementation and conducting election is the sole responsibility of the Election Commission.”

The top judge directed the ECP and Nadra to ensure implementation of this right by completing pilot projects. He also directed both the institutions to ensure that I-voting process should be foolproof and technically efficient and secure.

“I-voting should be segregated from the basic balloting process to avoid confusion in election results and that result of I-voting should be presented before the parliament,” the CJP observed.

The bench directed Nadra to fully cooperate with the ECP to ensure foolproof system of I-voting for overseas Pakistanis.

An overseas Pakistani who was present there in the courtroom thanked the chief justice on behalf of the overseas Pakistanis for their right to vote. He informed the CJP of the efforts of overseas Pakistanis for collection of funds for construction of dams in the country and requested him to visit the US. He said around $ 1 million would be contributed by the overseas Pakistanis to the funds for construction of dams.

The CJP said he had been invited by overseas Pakistanis residing in different countries for donations around $ 1 billion for construction of dams, but it was not possible for him to visit all the countries. However, he said he might visit overseas Pakistanis along with the governor of State Bank of Pakistan and the Wapda chairman, but his visit would be to sensitise the overseas Pakistanis about the water crisis in the country.

The petitioners had asked the top court to order the government authorities to give them right to vote so that they could participate in elections to choose their leaders. They had also asked the court to order the ECP to implement its 2014 judgment in which arrangements for overseas Pakistanis had been ordered for their fundamental right as guaranteed by the Constituton.