Govt seeks lawyers’ input over electoral reforms

ISLAMABAD: The government has urged lawyers to give their input on the proposed electoral reforms and suggested them to use electronic voting machines in their elections.

The development came during a meeting of Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry Thursday with a delegation of the Pakistan Bar Council and District Bar Council, Faisalabad.

Adviser to the PM on Political Affairs Shahbaz Gill was also present in the meeting.

Fawad Chaudhry said that the use of modern technology will be essential for free, fair and transparent elections in the country. “The use of technology is vital for every sector as we will have to keep pace with today’s world.”

The minister said the government desired to hold elections in a manner that no one points fingers over its transparency and fairness.

Fawad said the Faisalabad Bar Council can utilise the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to conduct its elections as Rawalpindi, Multan and Islamabad bar councils had already demanded the government to provide EVMs.

He said Pakistan’s interest was supreme to all.

“Lawyers were playing a significant role in the country as evident from their valiant struggle for the supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law.”

He also assured that the proposal to set up a high court bench in Faisalabad will be considered.

He said the lawyers’ community will also be provided homes under the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

On the occasion, Gill said the lawyers will be provided houses on merit in the low-cost housing scheme.

The PTI government, he said, was well aware of the lawyers’ problems and asked them to prepare recommendations in that regard.

Representatives of the bar associations said they were standing with the government for the rule of law.

The bar associations, they said, would play a leading role on national issues.

Besides Pakistan Bar Council member Ishtiaq A Khan, the delegation included District Bar Association Faisalabad President Akhtar Ali Virk, Secretary Khurram Ijaz Gallo, members Farrukh Gul, Malik Khalid Shafiq and Khalid Awan, and Convener Zafar Iqbal Mangan, and ILF Faisalabad President Javed Sharif Bandisha and Secretary Finance Mansoor Butt.