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Friday March 29, 2024

ECP wants security plan for Punjab by-polls

ECP to hold meetings with provincial government officials and army and Rangers representatives

By Mumtaz Alvi
June 29, 2022
The headquarters of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Islamabad. -APP/file
The headquarters of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Islamabad. -APP/file

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday decided to hold a meeting in Lahore with provincial government officials and Army and Rangers representatives in relation to the security plan for safe and secure upcoming by-polls in 20 Punjab Assembly constituencies.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said local government elections were the backbone of democracy and urged all political leaders to keep sentiments of their voters and supporters cool and help the commission conduct peaceful polls. He regretted two deaths during LG polls in Sindh’s 14 districts and expressed displeasure over the incidents of violence.

The CEC chaired two back-to-back meetings of the commission here on June 27 and 28 in connection with LG polls held on July 26 in Sindh. The meetings were attended by all ECP members, the ECP secretary and other officers. The provincial election commissioner Sindh attended the meetings via video link. The ECP secretary gave a briefing to the forum, and said that unfortunately, two persons died on which the commission expressed grief and prayed for forgiveness of the deceased. In this phase of LG polls, a total of 9,023 polling stations were set up and there were a total of 21,298 candidates in the run.

He said violence took place at various polling stations in 10 districts where eight people were injured and polling had to be suspended at 30 polling stations due to unrest. He said 13 different category elections were postponed as wrong poll symbols were allotted. In all, polling was postponed at 74 polling stations.

The meeting was informed that 15 FIRs were registered against those responsible: The election staff of Union Council No 28 of the Municipal Committee Kandhkot was kidnapped and later rescued. The ECP secretary noted that it was the responsibility of the provincial government to provide security to the election staff. In this regard, the chief election commissioner not only spoke to the chief minister Sindh but also wrote to him.

He also spoke to the chief secretary and the IGP over phone to provide foolproof security. The CEC, he said, also approached Army authorities for the static deployment of soldiers and coordination at the senior level. He also spoke to the home secretary for the deployment of Rangers. He said although the Army and Rangers’ static deployment could not be made, both the agencies worked diligently in the form of QRF and the performance of the security agencies in general was satisfactory. The ECP secretary said he himself went to Karachi and held a pre-election meeting with the chief secretary, the IGP and Army and Rangers representatives and took a briefing on security arrangements.

The provincial election commissioner Sindh said that he was in constant touch with senior officials of the provincial government and Army and Rangers and action was taken in the shortest time, where any problem occurred. He said these steps were taken due to efforts by all institutions. In the 2015 Sindh LG elections, unfortunately, 15 deaths and 24 injuries were reported. And in that sense, these were better elections than before.

The meeting expressed satisfaction and appreciated the efforts of the election staff. The ECP made certain decisions according to which Army and Rangers would be requisitioned for the NA 245 by-election on July 27, 2022 and preferably Army and Rangers would be static deployment at sensitive polling stations. Similarly, police, Army and Rangers would be deployed in the second phase of Sindh LG elections.

The commission also took note of wrong allotment of symbols and printing in 13 category elections at some polling stations. The forum decided that the Election Commission of Pakistan would hold a meeting with provincial government officials and Army and Rangers representatives in Lahore to review the security plan in connection with the by-elections in 20 provincial constituencies.