ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPs on Saturday urged opposition parties to set aside political differences and sit with the government for early installation of electronic voting machines to replace the paper ballots and increase the efficiency of the elections and ensure their transparency.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is determined and making all-out efforts to bring transparency in the electoral process, parliamentarians said while speaking to Pakistan Television.
The latest technology and use of EVMs is the only way to reclaiming the credibility of polls, Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Maleeka Bokhari said.
Bokhari also invited the opposition to sit with the government and select from the various EVM models available.
Senator Faisal Javed Khan said the government has repeatedly invited the opposition parties for bringing EVMs’ use in the election process as it was only determined to bring about reforms in the electoral system through the use of technology.
He hoped that voting machines would be made functional ahead of the next general elections with the support of opposition as this model was successful in many other developing countries and we can also adopt this technology to assist our traditional system.
MP Sadaqat Abbasi stressed that the use of modern technology was the need of the hour for economic growth and for transparent and free and fair elections. There is no harm if we adopt EVM technology use in elections, he said.
He said the government only wanted to bring a new political culture in Pakistan through which the election process can be made clean and fair.
MP Javeria Zafar said if we want a clean, transparent and fair system, we have to take the path of science and technology.
She said all political parties should support the government in this process and added we all should jointly talk on electoral reforms and electronic voting machines which are the best options to avail to hold a fair and transparent election.
MP Zain Qureshi said it was high time for the opposition to sit together with the government and discuss the matter of electoral reforms seriously for the great interest of the public.
A computer-based system of voting is the need of the hour, he said. A biometric system for voters was essential to verify thumb impressions, following which, they can then proceed to the polling booth to cast vote by pressing a button. The entire process would eliminate the chance of rigging.
MP Riaz Fatyana said that PTI wanted to introduce new technology and electronic voting machines which could deliver results in half an hour.
This would help increase the trust of the people, political parties and intelligentsia in the electoral process, he said.
