Sindh election commissioner seeks army deployment for LG polls, NA-245 by-election

The Sindh election commissioner on Friday demanded the deployment of army and Rangers troops to conduct peacefully, freely and fairly the upcoming second phase of local government polls in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions as well as NA-245 (Karachi) by-polls.

The second phase of the local government polls will be held on July 24, while the by-polls in NA-245, a National Assembly seat that fell vacant after the death of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Amir Liaquat Hussain, will be held on July 27.

Sindh Election Commissioner Ijaz Chuhan, in a letter to the ECP, said that during the first phase of the local government polls in 14 districts of the province, incidents of violence occurred.

He also said that the untoward incidents of clashes between rival political parties and firing also occurred in the by-election in NA-240 Korangi held last month. “Due to the occurrence of such incidents, the poll got postponed at some polling stations in the first phase of local government elections in some districts,” he said in the letter. “During the poll, the police were deployed to maintain the law and order at polling stations. Further, Rangers were present as QRF, not at static positions.”

In view of this, the maintenance of law and order remained a basic issue in the conduct of elections in local government polls' first phase and NA-240 by-polls, Chuhan said. In the local government election’s second phase, there are mostly urban areas of Karachi and Hyderabad Divisions where mostly all political parties are contesting elections and are politically charged and it is apprehended that incidents of violence may occur in many areas, he warned.

In view of the above precarious law and order situation explained above and the issues faced in the first phase of local government elections, and for the peaceful conduct of elections, he said.

“It is unavoidably indispensable to deploy Pak Army and Rangers along-with police at all polling stations during conduct second phase of local government elections of and bye-election NA-245 by-polls,” he said.

Security steps in Malir

A meeting held in District Malir on Friday reviewed Eid-ul-Azha and Muharram security steps as well as law and order during the upcoming local bodies elections.

Officials said the meeting was attended by SSP Malir Syed Irfan Bahadur, Deputy Commissioner Malir Irfan Salam and all police officers of district, Ulema and returning officers.

Scholars of all schools of thought should play their role in maintaining religious harmony in Muharram, said the SSP Bahadur. The scholars presented their recommendations, which were considered.

The security plan for Eid-ul-Azha, local body elections and Muharram should be fully implemented, the police officer said and added that all candidates should abide by the Election Commission’s Code of Conduct, all DSPs and SHOs of District Malir should inspect the security arrangements in their respective areas.

Moreover, he said, a sensitive intelligence network should be activated at the police station level and integrated security arrangements should be made at all mosques, Imambargahs, Eid venues, and sensitive and important places.

All candidates on the occasion of local bodies elections should help the police in preventing wall-chalking and misuse of loud speakers, and only institutions licensed by the Sindh home department would be allowed to collect hides, SSP Bahadur said. He further directed that mischievous elements should be monitored on the occasion of Muharram, and arrangements should be made to help the citizens in the rainy season and to restore traffic.