ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for Science and Technology Senator Syed Shibli Faraz held a meeting with representatives of Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) and UNDP at the Ministry of Science and Technology in Islamabad on Monday.
The members were given a detailed demonstration of the working of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and its role in the electoral process.
“It is the need of time to use technology for improving our electoral system. The EVM reduces the human interface. Hence, it is a tool towards efficient, free, and credible elections,” Shibli Faraz said.
The members asked in detail their questions and concerns regarding the use of EVM.
1/2 Representatives from @undp_pakistan @_fafen @pattandev @tdeapk attended the briefing and demonstration of new Electronic Voting Machine #evm. The attendees congratulated the federal minister @shiblifaraz & his team on this achievement and they were grateful for this invite. pic.twitter.com/GxmOu5E1e4
— Ministry of Science & Technology (@MinistryofST) August 23, 2021
2/2 @undp_pk @_fafen @pattandev @tdeapk @barisawra @rashidchaudri ur insight is extremely valuable to the minister @shiblifaraz. ur organizations have contributed substantially to report electoral processes of the past & ur feedback is appreciated in order to launch the new #EVM.
— Ministry of Science & Technology (@MinistryofST) August 23, 2021
Members of FAFEN and UNDP congratulated and praised the efforts of Shibli Faraz and also shared their viewpoints about the importance of public trust in the voting process.
The minister opined that Electronic Voting Machine is the only way forward and the ministry is determined to improve the machine to the maximum level as per requirements of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of Pakistan.
Moreover, he said that the government aims to take all stakeholders including the opposition on board.
Shibli Faraz said that opposition members are invited to join hands in improving the electoral process to make it more credible and reliable.
The members from FAFEN were Mr. Muddasir Rizvi (Director Programme) and Mr. Ghulam Sarwar Bari (Ex- Chairperson FAFEN) while the team from UNDP included Mr. Darren Scott Nance (Chief Technical Advisor), and Mr. Muhammad Qasim Janjua (Training Specialist).
The Secretary Ministry of Science and Technology Dr. Akhtar Nazir was also part of the meeting.
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