Efforts under way to make issue of delimitation of constituencies: ECP

KARACHI: A spokesman for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday said that efforts are being made to create an issue out of delimitation of new constituencies.

Speaking on Geo News programme 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath', ECP spokesman Haroon Shinwari said that this is not the first time they have been delimiting constituencies.

"Objections are raised over delimitation, however, [the ECP] is going to hear [these objections] from tomorrow," he said.

Shinwari said the entire nation has its expectations from them and they would stand up to those expectations.

He noted that the ECP has been working on delimitation of new constituencies for the past one-and-half year, besides an ongoing training of employees.

"Those objecting to delimitation of new constituencies must have some personal issue," the spokesman said.

Voting right to overseas Pakistanis

Asked about their preparations to enable overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes through the Internet, he said that this is an extremely technical matter and under Section 94 of the Elections Act, the ECP is responsible for [initiating] a pilot project for voting by overseas Pakistanis.

"We are prepared for that together with the Nadra," Shinwari said.

He said the Supreme Court ordered Nadra in January 2018 to prepare a software for this, for there is no other way but voting through the Internet.

"Nadra has prepared the software and the Supreme Court has ordered its demonstration on April 12, which would have the ECP, Foreign Office, Ministry of Interior and IT experts on board in the apex court."

The ECP spokesman said that they have a signed a contract with Nadra for this pilot project, in which the voting would take place through the Internet, mainly using email.

"We have also been looking forward to the preparation of this fool-proof system by the Nadra," he said.

". . . . But after its testing, the Supreme Court may have to ask the Parliament to legislate on it, because under the present Elections Act there is only the pilot project."

Shinwari said the ECP understands that a software should be prepared, together with Nadra, which could deal with cyber attacks and other challenges like most of the Pakistani people are labourers abroad and the voting would take place using email, and one would be provided a password for verification.

"We have to look into all this and whether our people are [capable] enough to have an email account and use it. Then there is a challenge of time and bringing the project to the stage that the Parliament passes a law for the 2018 elections," he explained.

"So we have complete preparation and we have signed Rs95 million contract with Nadra for this pilot project," the spokesman concluded.