Fawad multiplies criticism of the CEC

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ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry categorically said on Sunday that there was no choice but to hold the 2023 general election using modern technology to secure elections free, fair and credible.

Speaking at a press conference with Science and Technology Minister Shibli Faraz, he said the government has presented 49 reforms, but the opposition does not accept them and does not come up with its own proposals.

He said the government is seriously considering using electronic voting machines (EVMs) as practiced in various countries around the world to ensure transparency in elections. At the same time, he said the elections would not be controversial if the opposition and the government were on the same page on reforms.

However, he said that if the opposition refuses to go beyond prosecuting them, we will be forced to proceed with the reforms we have tried to put in place to ensure the transparency of the elections and put an end to the controversies for good. electoral events once and for all EVM.

“We cannot leave everything and go to the legislative elections of 2028. The legislative elections of 2023 will be based on and only possible after reforms – there is no other possible way than this one,” he said. -he assures.

The Minister of Science and Technology seconded the Minister of Information, saying that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s pledge shows that the 2023 general election would be held on the basis of electoral reforms, like it or not.

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He said the opposition opposed EVMs without bothering to understand them despite Prime Minister Khan’s offer to sit down together on electoral reforms and the government’s offers to come and inspect EVMs for them- same.

The information minister added that opposition leaders were “only interested in their corruption cases” and raised the issue whenever the government raised an issue with them. He said they had to face their cases themselves and it was a matter between them and the courts.

“We cannot hold hands on electoral reforms; the opposition leaders who are serious must come forward and make their leaders understand that reforms are necessary for the next transparent elections,” he added.

Chaudhry also criticized the Pakistan Election Commission (ECP) report on EVM that was submitted to the Standing Senate Committee on Parliamentary Affairs and raised 37 objections.

He claimed that in the ECP report, data in favor of EVMs had disappeared and was deleted, adding that such objections had been made which showed that they had already decided to submit a report against EVMs. .

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The minister said the deleted data included information from other countries and their positive experiences with GEVs such as the Philippines, Estonia and the Dominican Republic.

He also said that pilot projects had been carried out in Chakwal and Peshawar “whose testimonies are in front of you and everyone said the elections were very fair”.

Regarding the 37 objections raised by the PCE, he said only 10 were related to EVMs.

“The problem is that the chief electoral commissioner (CEC) seems to speak the language of the opposition […] this does not happen. Every institution has a character […] the way a movement is being directed to discredit the EVMs and the way positive material has been excluded, it clearly shows that the CEC is opposed for some reason to the reforms that the government wants to bring, ”he lamented.

Chaudhary claimed that no one trusted the ECP because all the elections organized by the CEC were controversial. He called on other members of the ECP to come forward and review the decisions of the CEC.

Chaudhry said the CEC should distance itself from “conflicts” because “the activities it is currently carrying out are unworthy of its position.”

Adding to criticism from the Information Minister, Faraz said that when the 37 objections were analyzed, it was clear that 27 points were an indictment against the ECP itself and highlighted its inability.

“The 10 points on the technical side relating to EVMs had nothing to do with the machine because they didn’t even bother to look at the machine and see if the current prototype solves the points they mention”, a- he added.

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Challenging the objections, Faraz said the prototype had 100% voting secrecy, guaranteed voter anonymity and full transparency, among other security features.

He stressed that the government’s goal was not to use this specific machine and that the ECP could choose whether to use it or not. The larger concept, Faraz said, was the use of technology to solve the problems of political crises, as had been the case in previous elections.

Faraz alleged that the ECP was not interested or intended to carry out electoral reforms, which was “of great concern”. He said that the ECP should show its seriousness in the work, increasing its capacity and playing its role in the technological incorporation.

The Information Minister said the Supreme Court’s order to use technology in Senate elections was violated by not using it and the government could pursue a contempt case against the CEC but ” we show great restraint as the ECP sent a notice “- apparently referring to the notices sent to him and to Minister of Railways Azam Swati by the ECP about their comments on the institution.

“The CEC will have to think seriously about its behavior. We have been showing restraint so far. The Federal Cabinet has so far tolerated the Election Commissioner with bravery and we have not reacted to the personal attacks that have been made.” , he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021

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