On Sunday, PM Imran Khan made an inspection of the Pakistani-made electronic voting machine (EVM) developed by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and expressed confidence that “all competitors will accept election results”.
“Inspecting Pakistani-made electronic voting machines by our Science & Technology Ministry,” PM Imran stated on Twitter. “Looks like finally, we will have elections in Pakistan where all contestants will accept the results. Congratulations to Shibli Faraz and his team,” he added.
Inspecting Pakistani-made electronic voting machines by our Science & Technology Ministry. Looks like finally we will have elections in Pakistan where all contestants will accept the results . Congratulations to Shibli Faraz and his team. pic.twitter.com/9UySGvhiU0
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 8, 2021
Moreover, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz presented a detailed briefing to PM Imran Khan on the specifications and the application of the machine, before the performance check. “The software of the machine has been developed by top quality standards,” said Faraz. He told that the device does not require internet.
Moreover, Prime Minister Imran Khan praised the crew responsible for the development of the device on a successful first run. The Ministry of Science and Technology has further decided to have members of the legislature and the four provincial assemblies test the voting machine.
Electronic Voting Machine prototype developed
Back in May, Chaudhry Fawad, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting showed the prototype of the EVM at the Parliament House. He stated that identification of the voter would be according to the national ID card and it would be tested by data supplied by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).
Read more: Electronic Voting Machines are ready to make the electoral process fair: Shibli Faraz
He also stated that the said prototype device was also employed in India to guarantee transparency in the electoral process, while in Pakistan legislative entities refused to accept the results.
Furthermore, the information minister told that there would be two records generated through the application of EVM: a paper record and an electronic record. He said the result cannot be manipulated since a piece of paper will be printed in addition to it being recorded electronically.
Opposition’s stance on EVMs
Prior to this, the alliance of the opposition parties, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), had renounced the government’s electoral reforms, which also involves the use of EVMs in the election process. PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, in a collective press interview, had stated that the PDM refuses the government’s one-sided electoral reforms mandate, including the voting machines, and phrased it as pre-poll rigging.
Source: TechJuice
