pakistan 
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, on Thursday, said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) welcomes the use of technology in the electoral process in Pakistan, but the aspect of security must be taken into account to satisfy all the stakeholders.
He said that extreme caution was needed to ensure transparency, impartiality and fairness in elections.
He voiced his thoughts in an ECP meeting that had to deliberate on the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the issue of overseas Pakistanis right to vote.
The meeting was held at the ECP Secretariat in which ECP members, secretary and relevant officers were in attendance.
The ECP later announced that it has constituted a committee to procure the EVMs and to enable the overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes while staying in their respective countries of residence.
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The committee will lay forth its recommendations in the next meeting.
Earlier this month, President Arif Alvi had promulgated an ordinance on the very issue. National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has, under its light, constituted a panel of cabinet members to engage the opposition on electoral reforms.
The opposition said that the formed committee had no mandate and power and termed it toothless.
The PTI government has since long maintained that it wants to reform the electoral system in line with the use of the latest technology to bring credibility and transparency to the election process.
On Thursday, the ECP asked the Ministry of Science and Technology to give a demonstration of the EVM after May 31.
It is pertinent to mention that the government on Wednesday gave the media a demonstration of the voting gadget at the Parliament House.
The demonstration was led by PTI leaders Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Dr Babar Awan, and Senator Faisal Javed.
Talking to the media, Fawad said all the stakeholders would be briefed on the working of EVMs with time.
