ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek -e -Insaf (PTi) government on Wednesday announced that it would use electronic voting machines (EVM) in next general elections due in 2023.
Federal minister for Science and Technology, Shibli Faraz, said here in a statement that the government is going through a process to take all stakeholders into confidence on EVM use to ensure transparency in next general elections.
The use of EVM in next general elections is under debate at different fora for the last over one year.
The government strongly believes the use of EVM is the answer to the on- going conspiracy theories and blame game regarding credibility of elections held in Pakistan in the past, but the opposition parties in and outside the parliament have doubts on the government claims.
With an exception of the Pakistan People Party (PPP) , the rest all opposition parties in and outside the parliament strongly argue that the use of EVM is basically a new plan to steal next general elections.
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had declared in its last rally held in Karachi that its all parties strongly and as a whole reject the use of EVM in next general elections.
PDM head , Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, had declared while addressing the Karachi rally that PTI wants to use EVM to steal people mandate in next elections but PDM will not allow it for it. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) president, Shahbaz Sharif, had also endorsed Maulana Fazal ur Rehman’s views on EVM and warned the government to refrain from going for the use of EVM without taking the opposition on board.
PMLN senior leader, Ahsin Iqbal, reinterated opposition’s stance on the use of EVM in next general elections in his media talk and demanded of the government to address opposition’s concerns on the issue.
Showing seriousness on the use of EVM in next general elections, Babar Awan, advisor to the prime minister, on Wednesday said the government can use all democratic norms and means to get passed the law for use of EVM in next general elections including presenting its bill before joint sitting of the parliament.
