Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that electronic voting is the only way to ensure transparency and prevent rigging in the elections, a statement from the PM Office said Thursday.

PM Khan made these comments during a meeting in Islamabad, where he was briefed on the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the electoral process.

PM Khan further said that overseas Pakistanis are an asset for Pakistan and they would definitely be involved in the electoral process.

“Overseas Pakistanis are an asset of the country, they must be involved in the election process. Electoral reforms, electronic voting, and voting process for overseas Pakistanis should be completed soon,” he instructed the concerned officials.

On June 10, the National Assembly had passed the Elections (Second Amendment) Bill, which pertains to fair, free and transparent election through the utilisation of technology and modern gadgets.

However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has expressed severe concerns over some clauses in the electoral reforms bill passed by the National Assembly, including voting rights for overseas Pakistanis as well as use of EVMs, and has assessed that many proposed amendments may violate constitutional requirements, reports Dawn.

ECP says the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis cannot be given till the required legislation by parliament is made regarding various practical aspects, including whether they should have extra seats in the Assembly, what kind of procedure should be adopted for them to vote, etc.

ECP says the use of EVMs cannot be adopted till it is determined whether these machines are capable of conducting free and fair elections; whether they can operate in conditions of hot weather, load-shedding, etc.; how the accuracy, secrecy, and transparency of votes can be ensured; and whether without proper testing, the ECP can ensure free and fair elections with these machines.