-Claims whole world has rejected electronic voting
-Info Minister says PML-N escape from negotiations on electoral reforms unfortunate
-PTI announces to present electoral reforms amendment Bill in parliament soon
By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday rejected Prime Minister Imran Khan’s proposal to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in general elections, saying the system had been rejected by the whole world.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Shehbaz said: “The system of electronic voting is rejected by the whole world. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared it unworkable. Such important national tasks cannot be performed at the request or order of an individual.”
He said that a sensitive issue such as electoral reforms could only be tackled with the “will and confidence” of the entire nation, adding: “Parliament is a manifestation of the aspirations and confidence of the people, which has been locked up for three years.”
“Electoral reform is possible with the consultation of all parties, in light of public opinion and consensus-building exercises.”
Shehbaz said that the PML-N had carried out “historic electoral reforms” in the consultation with all political parties, including the PTI which had been in the opposition at the time. “No one objected to these reforms in our time,” he added.
That “historic document”, developed with consensus of opinion, still existed today, he said. However, he added, the current opposition was insulted by creating noise of (National Reconciliation Ordinance) NRO when it had been talking about positive reforms and the economic charter.
“We can make electoral reforms only when we have the patience and courage to take our political opponents along and adopt their suggestions. “The country’s reputation is enhanced by justice, transparency and the rule of law, not by EVMs,” said Shehbaz.
“Instead of focusing on electronic voting, the govt must worry about the ruined economy, skyrocketing inflation, unemployment and rising mortality rates,” he advised
Reacting to Shehbaz’s comments, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that the PML-N’s decision to avoid discussions on electoral reforms was “unfortunate”.
“To say that the reforms are to be carried out by the ECP instead of the parliament shows that they have no understanding of the system and no interest in reforms.”
He went on to question why a party, which had always assumed power through ‘sazish’ (scheming), wish to talk about reform.
The opposition leader’s comments came a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan suggested the use of EVMs for electoral reforms.
He had invited the opposition to sit down with the government and participate in bringing electoral reforms in order to restore the credibility of local polls. In a series of tweets, the premier had said that after the recent NA-249 Karachi by-poll, won by the PPP by a narrow margin, all parties were “crying foul and claiming rigging”.
“Unfortunately, no substantive reforms were put in place. Technology and the use of EVMs is the only answer to reclaim the credibility of elections. I invite the opposition to sit with us and select from EVM models we have available to restore the credibility of our elections.”
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice President and the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh has said his party will table an amendment bill for empowerment of the election commission in the National Assembly.
Addressing the media at Hyderabad Press Club on Sunday Sheikh said the Prime Minister Imran Khan has already invited the political parties to discuss and prepare the electoral reforms.
Flanked by PTI leaders Imran Qureshi, Ameenullah Moosakhail, Jansher Junejo, Ali Hingoro and others, he said in the past the parties which were in power did nothing for the electoral reforms. Sheikh emphasized that the overseas Pakistanis should be given the right to vote as they send precious foreign exchange to the country.
He said the nation had already witnessed horse trading in the recent Senate election. He said an electronic voting machine would bring improvement in transparency of the voting system. “If political parties failed to support reforms in the electoral process, the nation would see their real faces,” he warned. The opposition leader said in Sindh there were officers like A D Khuwaja and Aftab Memon but there were also officers like Bashir Memon who level fabricated accusations and later retract.
