Islamabad, November 17, 2021 (PPI-OT):Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said the government wants to introduce a credible and transparent system for elections through legislation. Speaking in the Joint Sitting of the Parliament on Wednesday, he said their electoral reforms are aimed at protecting the election process from being stolen. He asked the opposition parties to also vote in favour of the relevant bills.
The Foreign Minister pointed out that questions have always been raised on the elections held after 1970. He said time has come to set the direction right and ensure the transparency and credibility of the electoral process. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the government, on its part, time and again approached the opposition parties on electoral reforms. He said we repeatedly tried to give demonstrations to the opposition parties on Electronic Voting Machines. He said the aim of introducing EVMs is to bury the evil design and vicious mind-set of imposing the governments.
The Foreign Minister said the PTI and its allied parties are fully united and have the majority to get the electoral reforms bill passed. The Foreign Minister said the expatriate Pakistanis are our precious asset and they will be involved in the decision making. He said the overseas Pakistanis will be given the right to franchise.
Earlier, taking the floor, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif strongly opposed the use of electronic voting machines in the elections. He said electoral reforms of the government have also been rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Shahbaz Sharif said the consultation process should be restarted with the opposition parties on electoral reforms.
Taking the floor, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stressed the government should bring consensus electoral reforms after consultations with the opposition parties. He said no haste should be made on this matter and the legislation should be such on which nobody can raise objections.
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