ISLAMABAD, Aug. 26 (TNS): Chairman Senate standing committee on interior, Rehman Malik has requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to constitute a technical committee to probe shutdown of election results software (RTS) on the polling day.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Malik mentioned that the Senate had entrusted the Standing Committee on Interior with looking after the elections proceedings, and as the country’s interior minister Imran Khan is obliged to assist the committee in its probe.
The committee had asked the Election Commission of Pakistan to investigate the failure of the Results Transmission System (RTS), identify those responsible and suggest action against them, the Pakistan Peoples Party leader wrote.
Malik further wrote that it is in the national interest to probe the RTS collapse and asked for directives to be issued to the Cabinet division at the earliest to form a technical committee to probe the matter.
In his letter Senator A. Rehman Malik states “I would like to inform you that the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and the Upper House Coordinating Committee was empowered by the Senate House vide notification No.21(1)/2018-Legis. dated 12th July, 2018, for monitoring the free, fair and transparent elections 2018. I would also like to inform you that the Committee had written a letter to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) vide letter dated 26th July, 2018 for investigation into the failure of Result Transmission System (RTS) The Election Commission of Pakistan, in response to the advice of this Committee, wrote to the Cabinet Division vide letter dated 2nd August, 2018 for constitution and notification of a technical committee to probe the alleged failure of Result Transmission System (RTS) on the Elections Day – 25th July, 2018”.
Highlighting the importance of Technical Committee, Senator A. Rehman Malik emphasizes “The report of this technical committee is required enabling the Committee to complete the probe based on technical and other evaluation of Result Transmission System (RTS) as there are numerous complaints received regarding RTS failure, which needs to be examined in the greater public interest”.
Senator A. Rehman Malik writes that the matter was referred to the Cabinet Division on 2nd August, 2018 by Election Commission of Pakistan asking to constitute a committee consisting of technical experts from National Telecommunication and Information Technology Security Board (NTISB) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) but the notification of the said technical committee has not yet been issued by the Cabinet Division despite laps of three weeks”. So urging the intervention of Prime Minister of Pakistan, Senator A. Rehman Malik writes “I, therefore, call upon you as the Interior Minister of Pakistan to kindly intervene to have the said committee notified at the earliest”.
Emphasizing the work so far done by Senate Standing Committee on Interior, Chairman Senator A. Rehman Malik expressed that the Senate Standing Committee on Interior / Upper House Coordinating Committee is progressing well and second volume of the investigation Report is being laid in the Senate House on 27th August, 2018. He adds that the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Upper House Coordinating Committee is probing into various complaints received from political parties, media and general public and have shown their concerns on the alleged failure of Result Transmission System (RTS) duly designed and controlled by NADRA.
Senator A. Rehman Malik concludes his letter with the demand “I would like to request that the Cabinet or Interior Division may kindly be directed to notify the constitution of the said proposed technical committee to investigate failure of RTS without further loss of time”.
