Daily Times

PTI Parliamentarians on Saturday urged opposition parties to set aside their political differences and sit with the government for early development of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to increase the overall efficiency of the electoral process and ensure transparency in the elections.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is determined and making all out efforts to bring transparency in the electoral process, parliamentarians said while speaking to PTV news channel.

Technology and use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) is the only way to reclaim the credibility of elections, PTI lawmaker and Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Barrister Maleeka Bokhari said.

She invited the opposition to sit with the government and select from the various EVM models available to restore election credibility.

Senator Faisal Javed said the government has repeatedly invited the opposition parties for bringing EVMs to use in the election process as Imran Khan’s government was only determined to bring about reforms in the electoral system through the use of technology.

He hoped that electronic voting machines would be made functional ahead of next general elections in the country with the support of opposition as this EVMs model was successful in many other developing countries and we can also adopt this technology to assist our traditional corrupt system.

MNA Sadaqat Ali Abbasi stressed that the use of modern technology was the need of the hour for economic growth and for a transparent free fair elections, adding, there is no harm if we adopt EVM technology use in elections. He said the current government under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan only wanted to bring a new political culture in Pakistan through which the election process can be made clean and fair. MNA Jeweria 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, adding, we all should jointly talk on electoral reforms and electronic voting machines, which are the best options to avail to hold a free, fair, and transparent election. MNA 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 requires of the hour, he said, a biometric system for voters was very essential to verify their thumb impressions, and they can then move to the polling booth to cast vote by pressing a button on the electronic symbol, which he said would eliminate the chance of rigging. MNA Riaz Fatyana said that PTI just wanted to introduce new technology and electronic voting machines which could give results in half an hour. This would help increase trust of the people, political parties and intelligentsia in the electoral process, he stressed.