Campaign for PK-8 by-poll ends

Candidates demand army be deployed over security concerns

PESHAWAR: The electoral campaigns for the by-polls in PK-8, Peshawar ended on Tuesday.

“All the electoral campaigns would end tonight,” PK-8 Returning Officer PK-8 Inayatullah Khan Wazir told to The Express Tribune on Tuesday. He said they were arranging the election material, including the ballot papers and will distribute them on Wednesday (today) among 98 polling stations set up for the elections.

About the code of conduct for the elections violated by city district nazim Muhammad Asim Khan and officials of K-P Communication and Works Department, Wazir said they have been asked to appear before the chief election commissioner on Wednesday

in Islamabad.

Security concerns

Wazir had requested for army deployment on the election day and a day before the elections so that security

is ensured.

Moreover, the candidates had also approached ECP for the deployment of army, but they said they had not receive any positive news regarding this matter.

“The provincial government does not want army to be at polling stations because their position on ground is weak and they would try to use unfair means to bag the seat,” Arbab Waseem Khan, the candidate of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for the slot, said. He added the constituency is connected with areas of Fata and is prone to terrorist attacks.

An official of ECP also said army deployment is vital for the election to be free and fair. “We have tried our best to keep the whole process moving in a transparent manner, but if the army is not deployed then we fear our efforts might go in vain,” said the official, adding the police is always used by the governments for their

own favour.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2016.