All possible steps being taken
to ensure transparent elections
Staff Reporter Islamabad
Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan on Friday said that the government has made its intent clear on electronic voting machines (EVMs) and bill pertaining to it will sail through the National Assembly and Senate.
Addressing a press conference, Babar Awan said that they have already given the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) authority to hold elections using the EVMs.
“We have introduced a bill on EVMs in the National Assembly and Senate,” he said adding that opposition has been conveyed that the bill could not be withdrawn.
The bills have been referred to the Senate of Pakistan and the relevant committees’, he said while addressing a news conference, along with State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Farrukh Habib.
The Advisor said that the Parliament of Pakistan has passed 12 bills in one day and 21 legislative instruments the other day pending with different committees since two to three years which he termed as historic.
Three bills which have been passed are very important for the nation among which one is related to ensure safety and protection of women in response to the demand emerged after Motorway incident and the other is related to giving right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis, in compliance with the four different orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding electoral reforms and giving right of vote to overseas Pakistanis, he told.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib Friday said the government was taking all possible steps to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The minister said it was Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had introduced the culture of ‘neutral umpire’ for fair play in the international cricket.
The electoral reforms initiated by him were to ensure free and fair elections in the country so that no one could raise an objection on their credibility, he added.
He said the three major political parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PTI), Jammiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan Threek-e-Insaf (PTI) had termed the 2013 general elections were termed.
Therefore, there was a need to use the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the future elections to prevent the chances of rigging, he added.
The minister recalled that a judicial commission was constituted as a result of his party’s 126-day sit-in against the 2013 election results.
