‘Ready to reach out to all political parties for improving electoral laws’

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that he was ready to reach out to all political parties to take them on board to improve the existing electoral laws, ARY News reported on Thursday.

President Dr Arif Alvi made the statement during a meeting with Federal Minister for Science and Technology Senator Shibli Faraz, Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication (IT&T) Syed Aminul ​Haque, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan.

They held discussions over the matters related to the electoral reforms process at the President House today.

President Alvi emphasised the need for expediting the electoral reforms process so as to grant overseas Pakistanis their political rights as well as make the electoral process more transparent, secure and impartial.

He said that it was the national obligation of political parties of the country and concerned stakeholders to work together to strengthen the electoral system in the country.

The meeting discussed various proposals with regard to improving the electoral laws. The meeting emphasised the need for evolving consensus among political parties and other relevant stakeholders to take forward the reforms process.

Referring to the Elections Act 2017, Dr Arif Alvi stated that the said Act was supported by all political parties for strengthening the democratic process.

He added that the leadership of various political parties were also needed to show the same spirit of cooperation for the sake of political rights of our citizens for a fair electoral process within the country through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and also to facilitate the Overseas Pakistanis through internet-voting.

The president remarked that he was ready to reach out to all political parties to take them on board to improve the existing electoral laws.

He urged the need to rise above the political differences and jointly work for the fundamental political rights of the people of Pakistan.