ISLAMABAD, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said on Monday that the use of EVMs was essential to counter allegations of electoral fraud. He said that the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Information were working together to streamline public opinion for use of EVMs and to provide the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis.
He expressed these views while addressing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on EVM and Internet Voting at the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs here.
Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that allegations of rigging had been made in every elections since 1970. In this regard, he there was need to develop a mechanism.
“Opposition parties should sit with the government and discuss the issue of electoral reforms,” he said adding that all the work regarding EVM technology had been completed, which would help removing allegations of election rigging.
He informed the meeting that the electronic voting machines meet the conditions set by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
He said that in these machines, electronic voting records as well as paper records would be available.
The minister said that there was no problem in holding the next elections on EVM if matters with the opposition were moving forward.
“We are serious about giving Pakistanis overseas the right to vote,” he said.
Fawad informed the meeting that the Ministry of Information would extend all possible cooperation to facilitate public opinion on the use of EVMs and granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Babar Awan, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, said that the present government had taken historic steps towards ensuring transparency in elections, adding that EVM technology was an important step towards transparency in elections.
“Giving the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis is our top priority,” he said.
Earlier in the meeting, issues related to launching an awareness campaign among the people and political parties on EVMs giving the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis were discussed.
The meeting reviewed the objections raised by the political parties in the past elections, especially in the 2018 general elections.
The meeting also discussed a video package inviting all stakeholders for electoral reforms, election expenses since 2000, opposition objections in by-elections, and transparency regarding EVMs.
The meeting also discussed issues related to the media campaign launched by the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on the transparency of EVMs.
The meeting was briefed on the key points related to EVMs and the removal of reservations, financial matters and detailed introduction of technology.
The meeting urged the PTI members of the National and Provincial Assemblies to play their role in educating the masses about EVMs and the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis in their respective constituencies.
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