The Election Commission of Pakistan said on Wednesday that it would need more time to complete all works on the electronic voting machines as it aims to take political parties into confidence regarding the matter.
A meeting between the body and the Ministry of Science and Technology was held today, where the latter was scheduled to display a prototype of the electronic voting machine, read a statement by the electoral body.
The body added that the final works on the machine would conclude by the third week of July, and after that, it would be handed over to the ECP.
The ECP told the ministry that it appreciates its help, but it would also take relevant stakeholders — the people and political parties — on board before it transitions towards electronic voting.
In a separate meeting, the secretary and officials of the science ministry and representatives from a Spanish consultancy firm gave a briefing to ECP officials on NADRA’s internet voting system.
The meeting compared NADRA’s internet voting system to France, Estonia, and Mexico. The meeting was informed that France had stopped using the i-voting system, while Estonia and Mexico were still using it.
The consultancy firm informed ECP officials that NADRA’s system was not up to the mark and recommended technological changes to it.
Later, the chief election commissioner summoned a meeting next week to deliberate over the detailed report provided to the ECP by the Spanish consultancy firm.
It is pertinent to mention here that Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on last Thursday had said that the government would provide EVMs to Punjab Bar Council for its upcoming elections.
Talking to a delegation of PBC along with Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan and Senator Barrister Ali Zafar, Fawad said that the council would be briefed about electronic voting process.
The PBC delegation had requested for the biometric voting facility for its elections.
Fawad said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government is well aware of the lawyers’ problems and resolving their issues is its top priority.
He said that a proposal is under consideration to provide approximately Rs1 million loan to young lawyers under Kamyab Jawan Programme. The government is taking steps to establish housing colonies for lawyers while a proposal to provide health cards to lawyers is also under consideration.
He urged the legal community to play a leading role on national issues. The members of Punjab Bar Council apprised the minister about their problems and Fawad assured them of cooperation.
PTI MPs last month 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 that 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 also said that 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 that if for a clean, transparent and fair system, the path of science and technology must be taken.
She said that 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 that 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.
