Pakistanis in the UAE lose chance to vote in Pakistan's upcoming elections

By Samreen Hayat | The 971 Report 

Pakistanis in the UAE will be not be able to vote in their country's general election next month, following a decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), media reported on Monday.

According to Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the ECP opposed the "hurried evolution of a mechanism" to allow overseas voting, saying that a rushed decision would prove "disastrous".

Without proper mechanism in place, any voting by non-resident Pakistanis would compromise the election process, the ECP said in a report released on Monday.

The commission has called for proper legislation on the matter.

The move dashes the hopes of the UAE's 1.2 million Pakistanis who would have had a chance to voice their choice in the upcoming poll.

UAE daily The National earlier reported the Pakistan mission in Abu Dhabi had already set up polling stations across nine locations in the UAE, following a directive by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported last week that the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) created a $1.5 million software to help 4.5 million overseas Pakistanis in 15 countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to cast their votes.

The country's general elections take place on May 11.