SAPM lays emphasis on simplifying i-voting

Calls for introducing a mechanism to enable overseas Pakistanis to register and cast votes

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari on Monday laid emphasis on simplifying internet voting (i-voting) registration process for the Pakistani expatriates in line with the apex court order.

He called for introducing a mechanism to enable the overseas Pakistanis to register and cast votes through portable digital devices while speaking at a meeting on i-voting chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Baber Awan.

The meeting was also attended by the officials of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The minutes of previous meeting on the i-voting were also reviewed.

NADRA representative gave a detailed briefing to the participants on the i-voting project for the overseas Pakistanis. An electronic demonstration of three steps, including registration, verification and vote casting procedure for the expats was also given during the meeting.



The meeting decided to take up the matter in the upcoming sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate, and thereafter the ECP would be recommended to initiate the i-voting process for the overseas Pakistanis.

This was the second meeting on the i-voting during the current month, which indicates that the government has geared up its efforts to ensure the participation of expats in the upcoming elections through internet-voting, said an official statement.

It was recommended during the previous meeting that the overseas Pakistanis could be registered on the basis of their Pakistani Passport and National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP).

The ECP and NADRA were also asked to jointly initiate a programme to ensure confidential voting for the overseas Pakistanis.