Online voting unsafe for general elections: ECP informs Parliament
ISLAMABAD, Jan 01 (EPI): The Election Commission of Pakistan has stated that a third-party audit has recommended against internet voting due to significant security concerns, including risks of hacking, adding that the audit concluded that online voting was unsafe for general elections.
A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, presided over by Senator Dr. Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, was convened today at Parliament House.
The Committee deliberated extensively on the mechanism for granting overseas Pakistanis the right to vote in future elections, as committed in a previous meeting.
The Chairman emphasized the importance of extending voting rights to overseas Pakistanis, including dual citizens, noting that many countries allow postal balloting.
He questioned why Pakistan could not adopt a similar approach, highlighting that the existing legal framework neither grants voting rights to dual citizens nor provides a system to facilitate such voting.
A representative from the Election Commission of Pakistan briefed the Committee on the matter, stating that a third-party audit previously recommended against internet voting due to significant security concerns, including risks of hacking. The audit concluded that online voting was unsafe for general elections.
Senator Dr. Mohammad Humayun Mohmand reiterated that all Pakistanis residing abroad or holding dual citizenship should be entitled to vote. He pointed out that postal balloting, supported by various countries, could be a viable solution for Pakistan.
The representatives from the Election Commission responded by noting that while postal balloting lacks direct supervision, which could lead to malpractice, it remains a cost-effective and practical option.
The Chairman Committee urged the Committee members to learn from international experiences, citing Brazil’s progress in electoral systems from the 1990s to 2000.
Senator Shibli Faraz added that the reluctance to implement systems such as postal balloting or electronic voting machines (EVMs) might stem from a lack of commitment to ensuring free and fair elections.
The Chairman raised the question of whether the Committee agreed to validate postal balloting for overseas Pakistanis and explore the feasibility of EVMs.
Senator Kamran Murtaza, however, expressed reservations, stating that such measures might not align with the Constitution.
In response, the Chairman asked the members are they willing to change the laws and constitution in order to move on for EVM as other countries have done and support this process which according to the Election Commission and their pilot project a better option, the Committee Members didn’t show interest to initiate the changes in the constitution and law, the Chairman adjourned the meeting stating that if the committee members not interested to change the existing system for the better system that can give free, fair, and transparent election for the future of Pakistan that there is no point to continuing the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Senators Khalil Tahir, Sarmad Ali, Kamran Murtaza, Khalida Ateeb, Pervaiz Rasheed, Shibli Faraz, as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Ends-Exact Press International-