ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday hasformed a three-member bench to hear petitions seeking voting right of thePakistani diaspora in next General Elections 2018.
The petitions have been filed by citizens from different walks of life.
During the court proceedings today, CJP Mian Saqib Nisar declared thepetitions admissible and formed a three-judge bench to commence hearing onthe issue.
The bench will take up the petitions on January 10 for hearing.
Previously, the top court has been petitioned over the inclusion ofoverseas Pakistanis in the general elections. One of such petitions hadalso been filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) back in 2012.
During the proceedings then, Joint Secretary of the Election Commission ofPakistan (ECP), Syed Sher Afgan, had told the court that registering avoter in Pakistan costs two dollars – but the same exercise abroad, forlisting overseas Pakistanis, would cost $30.
He then informed the court that bringing eight million Pakistani nationalsacross the world on board would be a ‘testing task’.