Fawad says 'we welcome discussion between govt and opposition on electoral reforms'

"We hope to make forward with the opposition on these reofrms," he said while addressing a post-cabinet press conference in Islamabad.

The minister said the joint committee should move in the right direction to resolve the matter and not waste time, adding the discussion shouldn't be aimed at wasting time.

"Electronic voting machine (EVM) and i-voting are a crucial part of the reforms. If we exclude overseas Pakistanis from the voting process it will be an injustice with them. The role of overseas Pakistanis in current electroal reforms and next elections is indespensable."

Fawad said Prime Minister Imran Khan, during the cabinet meeting, directed Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, Advisor to PM on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, and others who oversee parliamentary matters that these two elements-- EVMs and i-voting-- be discussed as a necessity with the Opposition.

The information minister said a majority of the conflicts arise as the vote count comes in and that the government had shared a study of the Philippines with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), where 300 officials had died during conflicts when the final count came in. "This happened when the Philippines did not use EVMs."

The minister said the government had imported 20 machines and hoped that they could be used in upcoming elections.

"No sitting government in Pakistan has ever focused on electoral reforms, it is the PTI-led government that aims to introduce them," the minister said, highlighting that the incumbent regime had also run campaigns in this regard.

Fawad said the government would bring its agenda to a joint session of the parliament and stressed once more that the government is willing to talk to the Opposition on electoral reforms.

About high rise buildings, Fawad said the implementation on rising buildings was yet to start, saying the Cabinet Committee had been cosntituted to remove legal and administrative hurdles in the process.

He said the cabinet had approved transfer of Telephone Industries of Pakistan (TIP) to the NRTC, adding NRTC would raise the unit of future technologies at the TIP's land in Haripur. 

"The jobs of 158 TIP officials have been protected as they will be offered jobs in NRTC."

The cabinet also approved the first-ever in Asia the National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights to limit business organizations to follow guidlines of gender discrimination, child labour, health etc. 

The federal cabinet also expanded the Pakistan Online Visa System (POVS), through which the country issues e-visas, Chaudhry said, pointing out that from 50, it is now available to 191 countries.  

During the briefing on economic indicators, the cabinet was informed that foreign remittances had increased $ 5.4 billion and in two months tax revenue collection had shown an increase of 42.3 per cent.

He said that in agriculture and services sectors, marked improvement had been noticed and exports had registered 35 per cent increase.

The minister said that due to rise in petroleum products and edible oil in the international market, prices of these commodities had increased in local markets.

However, he said that income levels of the people also witnessed a marked increase especially in agriculture sector in which yields of various crops including cotton had been improved.

Fawad said that impact of "imported inflation" was high in the cities where imported stuff was used.

Replying to a question, he said that misreporting was being done on the case related to Sharifs’ assets, in London. He said that Offcom had been approached and a case would also be filed in this regard.

The minister expressed the hope that proceedings of the case in accountability court against Shehbaz Sharif would be held on day to day basis and he would be awarded punishment soon.

He said that time for celebrations and distribution of sweets for the Sharif family had been over as the masses wanted return of looted money.

About quorum issue in ongoing National Assembly session, he said the Speaker should suspend the quorum rule as senior members were not coming due to coronavirus threat.

He cited the example of House of Commons where proceedings continued with the presence of only half a dozen of members.

Answering another question, he said that various companies were giving  demonstrations of electronic voting machines free of cost so far.

 The minister said that the matter of Services Hotel had been referred to Cabinet Committee on Privatization after some objection raised by Senate.

He said that salaried class was feeling more impact of inflation whereas people affiliated with agriculture sector living in rural areas had received Rs 1100 billion in that sector.

The minister said the media workers were also feeling the pinch as the media house owners had not paid them their due salaries despite the government had issued Rs75 billion to them in past few months.