Shehbaz Sharif rejects proposal of electronic voting as 'unreliable'

PML-N President and former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif has rejected the proposal of electronic voting machines’ (EVM) use in the elections, terming it unreliable, reported 24 News HD TV Channel on Sunday.

The PML-N leader said the EVM voting system had been rejected all over the world. Even the Election Commission of Pakistan has declared it not credible, he said, adding how such an important national responsibility could be carried out at the whims of a singular person.

Shehbaz said the sensitive task of electoral reforms needed people’s trust and willingness. He said it is parliament which truly manifests people’s hopes and trust. But the doors of parliament have been locked for the last three years, he added. 

He emphasized that all the stakeholders’ and people’s say be sought before introducing any electoral reforms. 

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He reminded that PML-N introduced historic electoral reforms in 2018 with consultation of all political parties including Tehreek-e-Insaaf. He said nobody objected to those reforms. The historic draft of those electoral reforms which carries signatures of all political parties is still available, he maintained. 

Shehbaz said when the opposition was talking about positive proposals and a viable economic agreement, it was humiliated by raising the NRO issue.

He boasted that it’s only the PML-N that could bring about electoral reforms in the country because his party had the courage to take political opponents on board. 

The PML-N leader maintained that credibility came when justice, transparency and rule of law were prevalent in the country. 

He advised the government instead of talking about electoral reforms, it should take care of the tattered economy, inflation and wretched economic condition of the people.

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On Saturday, Prime Minster Imran Khan in a series of tweets invited the opposition to sit with the government and choose from the available electronic voting machine (EVM) model to restore credibility to the election results. 

“Unfortunately, no substantive (poll) reforms were put in place. Technology and use of Electronic Voting Machines are the only answer to reclaim credibility of elections. I invite the opposition to sit with us and select from EVM models we have available to restore our elections credibility,” the prime minister said in a series of tweets.

“In NA-249 by-election, despite a low turnout, all parties are crying foul and claiming rigging. The same happened in Daska recently and in Senate elections. In fact, apart from 1970 election, in every election claims of rigging have raised doubts over credibility of election results,” he said.

All the hullaballoo of election transparency was started with the win of PPP in 249 by-polls in Karachi on Thursday. All mainstream parties including PTI cried foul over the by-polls results. 

Reporter Umar Aslam