ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar firmly said that there would be no provision for overseas Pakistanis to vote online in the upcoming elections.
He emphasizes that no amendments would be make to the election laws to allow for such a facility.
The Law Minister, Azam Nazeer Tarar, clarify that while overseas Pakistanis have the right to vote. But internet voting will not be allow in the upcoming elections. This decision comes after reports from both the committee and the Supreme Court .It is stating that internet voting was not feasible, leading to the rejection of pilot projects for the same.
As the government prepares to hand over power to a caretaker setup in August. And hold elections later this year. The parliamentary committee on electoral reforms has been meeting to propose changes to election laws. Although the details of the proposed amendments are currently confidential. The sources indicate that the focus is on ensuring transparency. credible election results, with a particular emphasis on the timely submission of results.
I-voting for the coming election is a contentious matter
The issue of internet voting for overseas Pakistanis has been a contentious matter between the current government, led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement, and the opposition PTI. In the past, the PTI government made several amendments to the Election Act, of 2017, including using electronic voting machines (EVMs) and granting overseas Pakistanis the right to vote electronically in general elections. These amendments were passed amidst strong opposition protests during a National Assembly session in 2021.
However, in May of the following year, the National Assembly, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, passed the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2022, which aimed to remove the use of EVMs in general elections and disallow overseas Pakistanis from voting electronically. Although the bill was initially return unsign by President Arif Alvi. It was eventually sign into law by then-acting president Sadiq Sanjrani in June.
In the midst of these developments, PTI chief Imran Khan approached the Supreme Court to challenge the amendments to the Elections Act, 2017.
