Govt making efforts for transparent Senate elections: Shibli

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz Wednesday said the government was making efforts that all elections, including the general and Senate, should be held in a transparent manner.

Addressing a news conference after the weekly Federal Cabinet meeting, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan pointed out that after the 1970 election, there had always been objections about the electoral process.

The minister referred to the recent United States elections where the two presidential candidates had a problem over the electoral process, but after developing consensus on electronic voting the matter was resolved.

He recalled that the electoral reforms were carried out in 2017 but the committee headed by Ishaq Dar ignored the issue of electronic voting.

“We want that the elections should be transparent and impartial,” he said, adding the overseas Pakistanis were rendering great services for Pakistan, besides sending substantial foreign remittances.

In the next elections, he said, the overseas Pakistanis would be given the opportunity of electronic voting so that they could have a voice and could participate in the country’s polling process.

Shibli Faraz said the prime minister took strict notice of the increasing incidents of sexual crimes against women and children despite the passage of Zainab Alert Bill, and issued a direction to the relevant authorities to take measures to stop such incidents.

He said the inheritance bill was meant to protect the legal rights of women and for getting the succession certificate.

Now the system had been revamped and the heirs of a deceased person could get a succession certificate in 15 days, Shibli Faraz added.

He said the case for transparency in the Senate elections was also in the Supreme Court.  Now the nation knew who wanted the elections on the basis of merit and capability, and who continued the past practice of use of money, he commented.

Replying to the questions of media persons, Shibli Faraz said that Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the Minister for Law to immediately reactivate the bill on the issue of missing persons, as now after drastic fall in terrorist acts, the issue ought to be redressed.