Caretaker govt to help ECP hold fair, free election: minister

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Barrister Syed Ali Zafar on Friday said the caretaker government would completely assist the Election Commission in holding of free, fair and transparent election.

Talking to a private television, he said Election Commission was legally and constitutionally empowered and had finaliszed arrangements in the four provinces for the election 2018. Election Commission was in contact with the provincial government for election arrangements in Balochistan, he added.

He said there would be no compromise on the security during elections, adding the general election would be held on July 25 and the caretaker government would focus on ensuring security and safety of people. He said after the recent incidents of terrorism, security had been further tightened and help of Pakistan Army had been sought for security affairs. Pakistan Army, law enforcement institutions and security forces would perform duties, he added.

The minister said Election Commission had installed CCTV cameras at highly sensitive and sensitive polling stations. He said due to risk of terrorism, the cooperation of security institutions was indispensable. Army was called on the request of the Election Commission for managing security affairs, he added. He said keeping in view the Code of Conduct of Election Commission, the political leadership should timely inform the administration and security agencies about their political activities. To a question, he said National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), set up under the National Action Plan, was working satisfactorily and it should be further strengthened and made effective. He said National Action Plan, formulated with consensus of all political parties, was being implemented.

The minister said external forces wanted that election are not held in Pakistan, but with the assistance of the security institutions, these forces would be defeated. People and political parties were fully participating in the election campaign, he added. He said a petition was filed before the election of 2013 for voting of overseas Pakistanis. However, there was no result as no system for voting was developed. Responding to a question, the minister said according to the Punjab jail manual, the prison management could not give more or less facilities to prisoners.