SC seeks report from ECP, others in overseas Pakistanis voting rights case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday sought a report from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and other respondents in a case related to seeking vote rights for overseas Pakistanis. 

A three-member bench of the SC headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan took up the plea. At the commencement of the hearing, the ECP lawyer said due to ‘technical’ issues the report could not have been finalized and sought time.

The SC bench remarked that constitutional points have been raised on the issue and asked the ECP and other respondents in the case to submit their reports at the earliest.

The next hearing of the case will be heard after the submission of reports from the respondents, the SC said.

It should be noted that during the regime of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the bill for the right to vote for overseas Pakistanis was approved.

However, the current PDM government led by Shehbaz Sharif withdrew this right as soon as it came in and the National Assembly approved depriving Overseas Pakistanis of their right to vote.