![](https://nation.com.pk/print_images/large/2021-09-20/shibli-says-ecp-free-to-procure-evms-from-anywhere-1632086801-3263.jpg)
ISLAMABAD/Lahore – Federal Minister for Science and Technology Senator Shibli Faraz said Sunday that if ECP had no trust in machine prepared by the Ministry of Science and Technology then it was free to procure such a machine from anywhere, reported Radio Pakistan.
He said, “We have no priorities regarding use of a particular machine as we only want a technology-driven election to give them credence.”
Addressing a joint press conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain here on Sunday, Syed Shibli Faraz said that invalid observations raised over electronic voting machines by Election Commission of Pakistan (without examining it thoroughly) reflected lack of seriousness toward adopting technology for ensuring transparent elections.
He said that his ministry had prepared a prototype of EVM and invited all the political parties, ECP and masses to examine the machine. But, he said, it was quite unfortunate that ECP had not extended such cooperation which it was supposed to offer. He said the ECP gave a list of 37 objections, out of which 27 were related to the incapacity of ECP itself to handle EVMs.
He said remaining 10 observations were related to technical side corresponding to EVM including lack of ballot secrecy, lack of voter anonymity, lack of transparency, biasedness of machine, hackable, reusability of technology and easy upgradation, lack of evidence in election disputes, technical challenges, upgradation etc. He said the EVM prepared by his ministry addressed all these observations too.
Shibli Faraz added that EVM was prepared to consider 72 requirements given by ECP however, EVM was a concept and it was not necessary to use this specific EVM prototype prepared by his ministry as “we only want technology driven elections to ensure transparency in results”.
He said the ECP was creating such an atmosphere where it looked that it was not interested in adoption of such technology to ensure transparency in elections and just using delay tactics so that it would not be used in the upcoming elections.
He said the article 103 of electoral reforms 2017 clearly mentioned that the pilot projects to bring reforms in elections would be conducted.
“Why didn’t the ECP take any step to use EVM in around 10 by-election held during the last months”, he asked and emphasized, “ECP has to show seriousness, increase their capacity and play their due part in conducting technology driven elections in the country”.
“The national decision cannot be taken or hindered as per someone’s willingness. Apart from someone’s likeness or dislikeness, 2023 elections should be conducted through EVM,” he added.
The minister stated that the government had carried out serious efforts to ensure free and fair elections in the country, despite many other huge challenges.
He said the way Prime Minister Imran Khan introduced a neutral empire to end any dispute in cricket, he wanted to introduce such a transparent system in the political field through introducing electoral reforms, adopting the technology.
He said, “Bringing transparency into elections is not a new stance but we have been raising this issue since the year 2009”.
The Supreme Court decision of the 2018 election, Judicial Commission report, ECP 2010 report, and High Court decision reflected the need to ensure transparency in elections for which use of technology was inevitable.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said Sunday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was committed to move forward with its electoral reforms agenda with objectives to hold free, fair, transparent and credible elections in the country utilizing modern technology.
He said that Chief Election Commissioner should distance himself from controversial matters as it was requirement of his post, otherwise he should quit and join politics.
He said Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) were two different things and the government had strong reservations on the conduct of the CEC. Similarly he said, the opposition should shun narrow minded approach and think in the larger national interest.
He said the government had given 49 proposals for reforms and the opposition was neither accepting them, nor bringing their own proposals.
The CEC has seemingly decided against the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) without even considering the report, he said adding, the CEC scrapped all the supporting arguments in favour of the EVMs from the report to rob it of its substance.
He said data of Philippines elections was removed from the record which showed that after introduction of electronic voting system, controversies in election results were reduced.
Fawad said in 2007 elections in Philippines, which were held under old paper system, results was complied after several days whereas in 2010 and 2019 elections held through EVMs and the results were declared within hours. He said People’s trust on 2007 elections in the Philippines was 35 per cent, while they expressed 75 percent and 89 percent satisfaction over results of 2010 2019 respectively. He said with the introduction of EVM, the election day violence was controlled whereas in 2007 many polling officers lost their lives.
He said the debate for reformation of electoral system and introduction of electronic voting machines was not new, adding that ECP had raised few frivolous objections over the use of EVMs in the next general elections.
The minister opined that it appeared that the ECP was using the language of opposition parties. He said opposition had the right to openly express its viewpoint but the office-bearers of a national institution like ECP could not behave like opposition.
Fawad Hussain urged the members of the ECP to review decisions. He said presently the posts of Punjab and KP members were vacant and fundamental decisions could not be taken.
He said National Database and Regulation Authority (NADRA) has provided many facilities based on technology, and Pakistan was the first country which introduced machine readable passport.
The minister said if the ECP would create hurdles in the use of technology, it would result in a new crisis. Criticizing the opposition’s attitude, he said they rejected the EVMs without bothering to attend any demonstration given by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Similarly, he said, the opposition parties participated in the media protest against proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) without going through its details. He said they faced humiliation when the media organizations agreed to form a joint committee on PMDA.
He said the opposition parties were opposing the government for the sake of opposition and they would be ready to join hands with the devil to discredit the incumbent government.
He said the opposition’s attitude was against the spirit of parliamentary form of democracy in which one has to think above personal interest.
Fawad said everyone believed that there was need of reforming the current electoral system. He said if the opposition had objections over the government proposals, it should present its own proposals for discussion.
He said that present opposition in Pakistan was one of the worst as its leadership lacked experience and they were not seemed interested to contribute for any improvement in the system.
Fawad said since 2016 Imran Khan was on record supporting use of EVMs in general elections. He said the opposition’s obstinacy was resulting in lack of people’s confidence in democracy, adding, in past opposition used to demand reforms in the electoral system and it was for the first time that the sitting government was striving to introduce electoral reforms.
The minister maintained that it was the responsibility of the parliament to decide the process of conducting elections in the country and the ECP should respect the decision.
Parliament would decide whether next elections would be held under the traditional voting system or through EVMs.
He said a joint session of the parliament would be summoned, adding, its decision would be final and binding. He said Supreme Court had issued directives to EVP to use technology in senate elections held in March this year but, its order was neglected.
Fawad said no action was taken by ECP on the video footage related to the proof of sale and purchase of votes in Senate elections for the seat of Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Stating that Pakistan was not a banana republic, he said the government had shown restraints regarding the remarks of CEC and even tolerated personal attacks on its leadership.
He said few opposition leaders met with Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, who tried to clarify their misconceptions as the government wanted to take opposition along in decision making process.
Fawad said the government wanted that the speaker’s committee should become functional and opposition should play its positive role to bring about reforms in the election process.
However, he made it clear that 2023 elections would be held after electoral reforms and there was no other option available.
Responding to a question, Fawad said that it will be decision of the parliament for Elections of 2023 not of Election Commission.
All members of the election commission are respected and free, fair, transparent and impartial elections are in the longer interest of the country, said Information Minister Fawad Chaudhy.
Responding to another question, Fawad said that it should responsibility of the election commission to get prepared for Elections at any time. He also added that two new members of election commission will be made and it will be completed then.
He said that elections process in the country will only improved when both the the government and opposition will remain on one page.
The information minister said that elections of 2023 will be possible following with reforms.
The minister also stated that it is very unfortunate that opposition in Pakistan include very incompetent children who had never done their work and aims at passing exams with assistance of examiners.
He also said that opposition without seeing the bill of Media Development Authority went to sit in the sit-in of media and had to face embarrassment when media organisations agreed to form joint action committee with the government.
The minister said that we have presented 49 reforms, if opposition did not like these reforms, they should better being their reforms, the government is ready to negotiate on their proposed reforms.
He said that NADRA is organising data of 220 million population of Pakistan. Pakistan is first country, releasing machine readable passport and Machine readable CNIC.
NADRA did tremendous work with registration of votes for 18 year CNIC holder in an automatic mechanism. If endeavours made to get fail technology, severe crisis could result, said Fawad Hussein Chaudhy.
He said that they way campaigning being made to discredit EVM, it shows that Chief Election Commissioner is against the proposed reforms, which government aims at introduced.
Replying to a question, Fawad said that serious leadership of opposition parties should come forward for electoral reforms and they should make it realized on their party leadership that electoral reforms are inevitable for Elections.