Pakistan PM reiterates call for electoral reforms, opposition doesn't budge

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 1 : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday once again asked the opposition parties to come forward for discussion on electoral reforms including the introduction of electronic voting machines (EVMs) even though major parties have already dismissed his proposal.
"Our govt is determined and we will put in place reforms in our electoral system through the use of technology to bring transparency and credibility to our elections and strengthen our democracy," Imran Khan said in one of his tweets, adding that in the recently concluded NA 249 bye-election, all parties are claiming rigging.
His remark comes in the backdrop of the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) win in the NA-249 by-election in Karachi, which earlier today, went for recount after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) accepted PML-N's application and fixed the hearing for May 4 (Tuesday).
Most big opposition parties have dismissed a proposed electoral reform by Pakistan Prime Minister for the introduction of EVMs, The News International reported.
Despite Imran Khan's stress on EVMs, the opposition has argued that anything that is controlled and operated by others and can be used to manipulate electoral results is unacceptable.
Former Speaker Pakistan and PML-N leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq claimed that the countries where EVMs have been tried and tested have either already reverted to paper ballots or are going back to the old system for different reasons.
"A financially tied-up country like Pakistan can't afford billions and billions of rupees to purchase hundreds of thousands of EVMs. Additionally, because of technical problems, the country can't ensure uninterrupted electricity supply and internet service all over Pakistan to keep the EVMs functional on polling day," the former speaker said. "We have to keep in view our resources and capacity," he added.