Deployment of troops okayed for contest between Fazl son, PTI candidate

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved deployment of troops during re-polling in NA-43 (Tank-Dera Ismail Khan), where polling could not take place due to poor law and order situation, on February 19. 

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had ordered re-polling in six polling stations of the constituency where PTI-backed independent candidate Dawar Khan Kundi won NA-43 (Tank-Dera Ismail Khan) constituency with 63,556 votes, with a close margin of 826 votes against the son of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, ex-MNA Asad Mahmood, who secured 62,730 votes.

The cabinet decided to deploy troops under Article 220 and 245 of the Constitution for maintenance of law and order.

“As there is a close margin, the polling process will be held in a highly tense situation,” sources said.

A political observer said that though it’s a matter of six polling stations, the contest is going to be neck and neck with potential of raising tension in the area. He said the repolling is going to be held at a time when a PTI delegation has met the JUI-F chief who has expressed his willingness to take to the streets against what he alleges as massive rigging. Against this

backdrop, the observer said, he would keep his fingers crossed as to how the two parties would behave on the ground amid the re-polling.