ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday directed the authorities concerned to launch a campaign to apprise the public and all stakeholders of the benefits of EVMs and check undue criticism by presenting a factual review.

He issued the directive while presiding over a review meeting on use of EVMs in the elections. Federal ministers Fawad Chaudhry and Shibli Faraz, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, PM’s special assistant Shehbaz Gill and senior officers of the National Database and Registration Authority and the Ministry of Science and Technology attended the meeting.

The prime minister was apprised of the Judicial Commission’s proposed legal amendments regarding the use of EVMs. The measures were aimed at making the process of elections transparent.

Presiding over a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday, Prime Minister Khan had invited the opposition to sit with the government for making electoral reforms in the country, including the use of EVMs. However, the opposition parties categorically rejected the offer and said they would never allow the government to use EVMs in the elections.

Welcoming the recent investment worth $85 million by the world’s leading venture capitals (VCs) in Pakistani tech start-up Airlift, Prime Minister Khan said Pakistan was open for investment and business opportunities.

“We welcome the recent investment of 85 million USD by leading VCs of the world in Airlift, a company led by young Pakistanis,” he said in a tweet.

According to the Prime Minister Office, Airlift, a Lahore-based online shopping delivery service, has raised $85m in Series B financing, the largest single private funding round in Pakistan’s history. The financing is about twice the size of the largest private company IPO in the country’s history and the highest in the Middle East and North Africa region.

“Pakistan has huge potential as the country is open for business,” PM Khan said, adding that the government is committed to creating opportunities for foreign investors.

Mr Khan said: “My government is fully committed to creating opportunities.”