LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif has rejected the PTI-led federal government’s proposal to hold the next general elections through electronic voting machines.
“The electronic voting system has been turned down by the entire world,” the PML-N president said, adding that such kind of important national decisions cannot be implemented on the orders or will of a specific person.
The former Punjab chief minister said that electoral reforms were undertaken with the consultations of all key stakeholders, the public’s opinion and by developing a consensus.
He said the PML-N had undertaken electoral reforms in 2018 via consultations with all political parties in the country. “No one had any reservations with the electoral reforms undertaken during our era,” he added.
He also lashed out at the government, saying that when the Opposition wanted to sit with the government to discuss the Charter of Economy, the authorities refused to listen. “At that time, the government started insulting the Opposition by using the NRO slogan,” he added.
Shehbaz Sharif further said in order to introduce electoral reforms, the Opposition should be taken on board and the government must demonstrate a willingness to adopt the recommendations. “Worry about the public reeling from an economy in shambles, inflation and unemployment instead of electronic voting,” he concluded.
