Staff Reporter
President Dr. Arif Alvi chaired a meeting to review the progress on overseas voting, biometric identification and electronic voting system in the country, at Aiwan-e-Sadr Thursday. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Narcotics Control, Mr. Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, Secretary IT & Telecommunication, Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Dr. Akhtar Nazir, and Secretary to the President, Mr. Tariq Najeeb Najmi.
Secretary ECP, Dr. Akhtar Nazir, briefed the meeting about the measures, taken by ECP, to introduce Electronic Voting Machines, biometric identification and Online Voting System for Overseas Pakistanis. The meeting discussed various proposals to expedite the process. While highlighting the significance of change and that identification of persons during Ehsas distribution, there is a need to ensure it during elections. The President said that the existing voting regime needed improvement in view of its vulnerabilities. He asked the ECP to expedite the process in all areas particularly overseas voting that has already been decided upon by Supreme Court of Pakistan. The meeting proposed to constitute a committee of experts to guide and identify the issues, pertaining to E-voting and proposed possible solutions. It also recommended to form an Overseeing Committee to supervise the entire process of biometric identification of voters, electronic voting machines and online voting for Overseas Pakistanis.
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi has underlined the need for providing online education to avoid academic loss of the students in the view of coronavirus pandemic.
He was expressing his views during a presentation given by Vice Chancellor of Baltistan University, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan, through a videoconference, Radio Pakistan reported.
The president stressed the need for focusing on research and innovation to promote quality education in the country.
He said coronavirus Pandemic has affected the education sector everywhere and this challenge can be met by encouraging and promoting the culture of online education.
The VC highlighted various initiatives taken by the University for promotion of education.
Read more: Govt directs postponing all scheduled, unscheduled examinations across country
President Alvi appreciated the measures taken by the Management of the Baltistan University for arranging online classes for students as well as promoting education in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Yesterday, the National Coordination Committee (NCC) had directed postponing all scheduled and unscheduled examinations across the country in view of a steep rise in coronavirus cases,
Earlier in May, all medical universities in Punjab had decided not to promote MBBS and BDS students across the province without examinations. The decision was taken in a meeting of all Punjab medical universities vice-chancellors (VCs), held in Lahore.