ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday said that the departments concerned would soon give practical demonstrations and briefings to the Election Commission of Pakistan on the electronic voting machines as well as the Internet-voting mechanism to ensure transparency in elections and give overseas Pakistanis their right to vote.
“By the grace of Allah Almighty, the upcoming elections of 2023 will be held under a new mechanism, which the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government has presented to the ECP and the Parliament,” the minister said while talking to media persons after a meeting between a government delegation and the ECP officials on electoral reforms.
Accompanied by Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan, Minister for Science and Technology Senator Shibli Faraz and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Barrister Mirza Shahzad Akbar, Chaudhry said that the meeting deliberated on four points including the Electoral Reforms Bill, EVM, Biometrics and I-voting.
After the demonstrations and briefings, he said, the ECP could appoint its own experts for further examination of the EVM and I-voting mechanism, if it deemed appropriate by it.
However, the government would extend all cooperation to the ECP in that regard, he added.
Fawad said that the government had presented the electoral reforms bill in the parliament in October last with the introduction of 49 amendments in the existing election process.
“We want legislation on these amendments in consultation with opposition parties so that we can lead to such elections that will be acceptable to all,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of the EVM in fast and accurate compiling of the election results, the minister said it was a general observation that rigging allegations were mostly levelled during a certain time, between the polling-end and result-announcement.
“Our effort is to end these allegations with the introduction of EVMs.”
He expressed happiness that the ECP had welcomed the use of EVMs in elections as the commission believed that the usage of modern technology was a “positive step” towards making the election process transparent.
“It (ECP) wants to move on it.” Commenting on the I-voting, the minister said that giving the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis was one of the top agendas of the PTI government.
With this system, he said, around eight to nine million overseas Pakistanis would be able to exercise their right to vote, who were playing a vital role in strengthening the national economy.
“Accordingly, we have presented a comprehensive report to the ECP. Besides, the ECP has received a report on I-voting from an independent consultant.”
He added that all technologies with regard to the EVM were in hand and all manufacturers were busy in the production of the EVMs.
The minister said the ECP had regretted a fake post appearing on its social media account, saying that it was due to some misunderstanding and mistake of an internal department.
Earlier, Chaudhry on Saturday said that the opposition parties should support the government in the election and judicial reforms initiatives, and expressed the ruling party’s willingness to initiate negotiations, urging Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif to name a focal person for the purpose.
Talking to media persons in Lahore, Fawad said that the electronic voting system is the remedy to the election rigging claims often made by the political parties, adding that Electronic Voting Machines can be tried in the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections.
The minister said the government wants to improve working relations with the opposition, adding that the government is making sincere efforts to work with the opposition so that constructive discussions could start on election reforms in the country.
Fawad dispelled the impression that the ECP has raised any objection to the use of EVM technology and said that it is the government that gives rules and regulations while the ECP is supposed to adopt the technology and give feedback on its pros and cons.
He said that a ruling party’s delegation would meet some ECP officials on Wednesday and share policy guidelines of the government on elections reforms.
He said the EVMs can be used in some of the constituencies during the AJK elections, adding that he would soon give a demonstration of EVM at Lahore Press Club and National Press Club, besides the bar councils in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Multan and Lahore, where elections are held annually.
Talking about the upcoming budget, Fawad said that the passage of the federal and provincial budgets would be smooth sailing for the PTI government, adding that all the allied political parties have assured the government of their support and all are on one page.
The information minister said that the country’s economy is stable and improving despite the adverse economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that the economies of the neighbouring countries have faltered significantly during the pandemic. He said the main goals of the budget 2021-22 are to enhance the development budget, control dearness in the country and provide relief to the salaried class, besides increasing revenues.
On the Financial Action Task Force, Fawad said that the government has achieved great success as the country’s rating on the FATF has improved, adding that the efforts of Minister Hammad Azhar and the law ministry are laudable in this regard.
Talking about the disputes within the opposition parties, Fawad said that the opposition parties are faced with internal disintegration as there are differences between Shehbaz and Maryam Nawaz within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) while in the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Faryal Talpur are embroiled in the power struggle.
Taking a turn to Pakistan Democratic Movement Chief Fazl-ur-Rehman, he said the power of votes of 20 million people in the general election 2018 brought the PTI into power, adding that Fazl cannot win that power even in the next 200 years.
He said Fazl has badly failed in keeping his politics alive, adding that he should quit politics and pursue his own trade of solemnising marriages as a religious leader instead.
