Fawad Briefed PM on EVM But ECP Remained Absent

Recently, Prime Minister Imran Khan received a demonstration about electronic voting machine (EVM), its voting procedure, and various features by Federal Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chaudhry but the video raised some major questions revolving around Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).  

The machine was developed and designed by joint efforts of Ministry of Science and Technology, COMSATS University, and National Institute of Electronics (NIE).

A video has been shared by the official Twitter handle of Prime Minister’s Office, where Khan along with Fawad and Special Assistant to PM Shahbaz Gill received a demonstration of electronic voting machine’s prototype working.

وزیر اعظم عمران خان کو الیکٹرانک ووٹنگ مشین پر بریفنگ
وزیرِ برائے سائنس اینڈ ٹیکنالوجی چوہدری فواد احمد نے وزیرِ اعظم کو کامسیٹس اور نیشنل انسٹی ٹیوٹ آف الیکٹرانکس کی جانب سے تیار کردہ الیکٹرانک ووٹنگ مشین، ووٹنگ کے طریقہ کار اور مشین کے مختلف فیچرز کے بارے میں تفصیلی بریفنگ دی۔ pic.twitter.com/zrWzKo9Rwz

— Prime Minister’s Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) March 31, 2021

With the help of the machine, the entire voting process will become transparent and results will be available immediately.

وزیرِ اعظم کو بتایا گیا کہ مذکورہ مشین کی مدد سے جہاں ووٹنگ کا سارا عمل مکمل طور پر شفاف اور غیر جانبدار ہو جائے گا وہاں انتخابی عمل کے نتائج مکمل طور پر محفوظ اور فوری طور پر میسر آسکیں گے۔

— Prime Minister’s Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) March 31, 2021

Designers have ensured to provide a solution in the machine that had hindered the transparency of the electoral process in the past.

Read Also

Maryam Nawaz’s Sickness Calls into Question a Replay

After the practical demonstration of the electoral process ended, PM was satisfied with the model and appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Comsats in this regard.

Later, PM had a meeting with the officials and ministers, where he stressed how the electoral and democratic process has been affected due to absence of technology.

بعد ازاں الیکٹرانک ووٹنگ مشین کے حوالے سے تفصیلی اجلاس

اجلاس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے وزیرِ اعظم نے کہا کہ بدقسمتی سے ماضی میں ملک میں ہونے والے تقریباً ہر الیکشن پر مختلف سوالات اٹھائے گئے جس سے نہ صرف انتخابی و جمہوری عمل متاثر ہوا بلکہ اس سے عوام کے اعتماد کو بھی ٹھیس پہنچی۔

— Prime Minister’s Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) March 31, 2021

PM added that the purpose to introduce an electronic voting machine in Pakistan is to make the electoral process as transparent, secure, and impartial as possible.

Moreover, Fawad Chaudhry also expressed a sigh of relief after the successful demonstration of the electronic voting machine.

Alhamdolliah https://t.co/N3CU3cS6gu

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 31, 2021

However, the question arises regarding the ECP officials, who weren’t in the scene anywhere despite being the body for conducting elections in the country.

Interestingly, despite having a mammoth election, India deploys EVMs to ensure transparency.