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Chairman NADRA should quit if overseas Pakistanis not provided voting rights: CJ
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry said Chairman NADRA should quit his job if he fails to provide overseas Pakistanis with the facility to vote, adding that if the Secretary Defence was asked he could have the GHQ make an e-voting software for the overseas voting process.
A three member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry heard the case pertaining to giving overseas Pakistanis the right to vote.
During the hearing Attorney General Pakistan Irfan Qadir presented a report in court revealing that the facility providing overseas Pakistanis the right to vote would cost $ 1.5 million.
Meanwhile, Chairman NADRA told the courts that 4.5 million Pakistanis have been registered and issued NICOP cards, adding that a proposal has been given for online applications. He further added that the proposal would consist of four stages such as voter registration, voter verification, vote casting and result sharing.
The Chief Justice said that voter registration has already been completed and at least ten countries where a large number Pakistanis reside must have mechanisms for voting. The Chief Justice further said polling stations should be made in embassies and consuls, adding that voters are more important than the elections as they are the real stakeholders.
The court adjourned the hearing till April 1st and has directed the Foreign Secretary, Law Secretary, Secretary Overseas Pakistanis, Secretary IT, Chairman NADRA and Election Commission Pakistan to devise a strong mechanism for overseas voting.
Courtesy www.geo.tv