EVMs will deprive 3.2m visually impaired people of right to vote: Shibli

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz on Wednesday said that 3.2 million visually impaired people will not be able to cast vote in the next general elections if Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are used, says a report on Geo News.

Faraz drew attention to the matter through a written response to MNA Noreen Farooq Ibrahim’s question. He informed the National Assembly in his reply that the EVMs do not have the braille feature for the visually impaired people to cast vote.

“The new directive must be issued to the Election Commission of Pakistan if we need to bring this feature to the EVMs’ system,” said Shibli Faraz. He further stated in his reply that some of the polling stations will not even have ramps for people with disabilities.

There has been a heated debate between the government, the Opposition, and other stakeholders over the use of EVMs, with the Centre claiming it is a way forward to make the elections in the country transparent. It is pertinent to mention that Shibli Faraz has always emphasised why the country should shift to the new method of polling under the government-backed electoral reforms.