Why blockchain is the best voting solution for overseas Pakistanis
Recently the Supreme Court of Pakistan gave approval to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to develop a voting software for over 7 million Pakistanis living abroad.
7 million is a staggering figure for a disfranchised voter base which can have a sizeable influence in the upcoming 2018 National Elections.
But how can we ensure the votes are genuine and the process is fair and transparent?
Enter the Blockchain
Most people equate the word blockchain with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
Bitcoin (developed by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto) has already disrupted the finance industry by removing the need of banks to act as intermediaries between transacting parties.
But blockchain’s use case is not limited to finance. Blockchain aims to disrupt several industries and voting is one of them.
So what is blockchain?
Blockchain is a revolutionary technology since the advent of the Internet, which acts like a distributed public ledger.
A distributed ledger is a decentralized mechanism which is transparent, safe and resistant to outages.
Transparent means it can be audited.
Safe means it cannot be hacked.
Resistant to outages means it cannot be shutdown because it is decentralized.
So why should NADRA use blockchain instead of traditional software?
By utilizing a blockchain solution, there is an enhanced security and audibility of votes.
Blockchain uses cryptographic encryption which means the votes can not be hacked.
Technically speaking the votes can be hacked. The caveat is if only you have access to the 500 fastest supercomputers in the world combined!
So basically unhackable.
Once the votes are recorded on the blockchain, they cannot be changed or deleted. The blockchain acts like an immutable and irreversible permanent ledger.
Blockchain technology is truly democratic because it ensures there is no foul-play by any bad internal or external actors. Additionally, the process can be audited by any third party.
In the murky history of Pakistan’s electoral fraud, manipulation and rigging; blockchain technology can redeem us from our past and pave way for national transparency and accountability.