Staff Reporter Islamabad
The Election Commission of Pakistan and the government were coming closer on the issue of using electronic voting machines, said Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, days after the two sides exchanged heated words.
“It is a positive development that the Judo Karate between the federal government and the ECP is decreasing,” he said.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and Federal Minister for Railways Azam Swati had levelled serious allegations against the ECP and the Chief Election Commissioner, and as a result, the body had sent notices to both the government officials — who are yet to respond.
The minister, addressing a press conference in Islamabad Monday, said: “The relationship between the government and the Election Commission should get better as it would facilitate in holding free and fair elections.”
Rasheed addressed the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, saying that the next general elections would be held in a “free, fair, and transparent manner.”
The interior minister said that it had been decided to introduce e-passports in Pakistan which would make it the first country in the region to do so.
He added that a summary was also being sent to the federal cabinet to approve 15 more countries for the provision of visa-on-arrival facilities, including the US, Canada, Iran and France.
