Army won’t let anyone sabotage polls: official

TIMERGARA: General Officer Commanding (GoC) Malakand division Maj Gen Khalid Saeed on Saturday said that army would not let anyone sabotage the process of fair elections on July 25.

“The army has been deployed in Malakand division under section-245 of the Constitution to provide security to people of the area,” Khalid Saeed said while speaking at a gathering of public representatives, elected members and local elders of Lower Dir district at Dir Scouts Fort in Balambat.

Commandant Dir Task Force (DTF) Colonel Amir Shehzad, the newly appointed Lower Dir District Police Officer Arif Shahbaz Khan Wazir and nominated candidates of various political parties for the 2018 elections were also present on the occasion.

“I have strictly directed officials of the army deployed in various units and checkposts all over Malakand division to deal with public in respectful manners,” he said.

He added that if a soldier misbehaves with the public, it could be his individual flaw and he would be punished if the matter was brought into the notice of concerned officials.

“To remove communication gap between civilians and military, we have set up a Civil Military Liaison Office (CMLO) in Mingora where complaints and proposals could be registered,” the GoC said.

Khalid Saeed said the residents of Dir had always been supportive to security agencies and helped in restoration of peace in the area.

“This is why the army started gradually handing over control of checkposts to the civil administration in Dir,” he added.

The local elders and political leaders assured the GoC of all-out support to army for restoration of lasting peace in the area.

Earlier, the GoC attended annual parents day and prize distribution ceremony of Frontier Corps Public School and College, Timergara, as chief guest.

The students recited na’ats, presented speeches, national songs, tableaus and a cultural show, and received appreciation from the participants.