Overseas Pakistanis protest outside ECP, demand right to vote

ISLAMABAD: A protest demonstration was by overseas Pakistanis on Monday outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to give them their right to vote.

The protest organized by Pakistan Overseas Forum was participated by dozens of overseas Pakistan in front of ECP.

Talking to newsmen, the protestors said that they were protesting for their basic right to the vote as the ECP has failed to provide them the right to vote.

In 2016, the Supreme Court ordered to give the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis but the electoral body has utterly failed in doing so, they added.

The protestors demanded that overseas Pakistanis must be given their right to vote as it was their legal and constitutional right. Meanwhile, a large number of policemen were deployed outside the ECP during the protests, while the roads heading towards the ECP were blocked with barbwires.

Earlier this year, Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led-government intends to make overseas Pakistanis a part of the political system and decision making by giving them the right to vote.

This he had said while virtually addressing the elected Pakistani Americans including the members of Pakistani American Council, City Mayors and Deputy Mayors.