The opposition parties has announced to challenge the electoral reforms bill in the court.
During the joint session of parliament, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif described the electronic voting machines (EVMs) as evil and vicious machines. He said that the government is not sincere in building a consensus on electoral reforms.
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Special Assistant for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan presented 27 bills including electronic voting machine, electoral reform and the right to vote for overseas Pakistanis in the joint session.
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The government secured 221 votes in favour of the right to vote for overseas Pakistanis bill while the opposition bagged 203 votes.
It was clear that when Shahbaz Sharif was chief minister of Punjab in 2013, he was working actively to give overseas Pakistanis the right to vote.
On March 30, 2013, while sharing a message on the social networking website Twitter, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif wrote that ” SC to punish overseas voting obstructers. Could have happened long time ago; overseas Pakistanis should be able to vote.”
News: SC to punish overseas voting obstructers. COULD have happened long time ago; overseas Pakistanies should be able to vote
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 30, 2013
Political analysts say that in 2013, Shehbaz Sharif was working actively to give overseas Pakistanis the right to vote, but now what has changed that he has not only taken the U-Turn from his old position but is also opposing it.
They said that it is probably the tragedy of all Pakistani politicians that when they are in power, they make political statements for political benefit, but when they leave the office, they take U-Turn from the same statements.