Despite new law, ECP rules out voting for overseas Pakistanis on May 11

ECP secretary says there is not enough time to arrange voting for those living overseas.

ISLAMABAD: Despite the President signing an ordinance which paves the way for overseas Pakistanis to vote, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday ruled out any possibility for overseas Pakistanis to vote in this weekend's landmark general elections.

"It was the desire of all stakeholders that overseas Pakistanis should be given right to franchise in the ensuing elections 2013but limited time has become hurdle in this way," ECP secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan told reporters.

Khan said that at this point it would be very difficult for the ECP to make arrangements for around 4.5 million Pakistanis living in various parts of the world to give them voting facility in just two days.

To a question, he said seven countries had granted Pakistan permission to hold voting for its citizens. The ECP had listed at least 10 countries which had sizeable Pakistani population where it would be considered to set up polling stations.