*ISLAMABAD – A new era in the politics of Pakistan begins today as theElection Commission of Pakistan (ECP) starts process of online registrationof the overseas Pakistanis as voters.*
*For the first time in history of Pakistan the overseas Pakistanis areallowed to vote in the elections process.*
*The process will continue till September 15.*
Talking to media in the federal capital, ECP official Nadeem Qasim saidexpatriate Pakistanis possessing valid machine-readable passports (MRP) andNational Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) can get themregistered as voters.
He said the online registration system has been developed in collaborationwith NADRA.
To a question, he said it is a pilot project and the overseas Pakistaniscan get them registered as voters to exercise their right to franchise inthe upcoming by-elections in the country.
Qasim said over 700,000 overseas Pakistanis will be able to get their voteregistered through the newly developed system.
The ECP is scheduled to conduct by-polls on 11 National Assembly and 26provincial assembly seats on October 14