ECP mulls troop deployment for K-P polls

K-P IGP says more security personnel needed

ISLAMABAD:

As the ECP continues its marathon consultations with stakeholders to finalise the election schedule, the police chief of K-P on Tuesday told the body that while it was ready for the polls, more security personnel were required in the wake of the emerging uncertain security situation.

The election watchdog met under Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja at its secretariat with K-P police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari, the provincial chief secretary, ECP members and the commission's secretary, among others.

The meeting was held after the governors of Punjab and K-P urged the commission, in response to its letters seeking dates for elections, to consult stakeholders in view of the security, law and order and economic situation in the country.

During the meeting, the police chief informed the commission that the police force was facing a shortage of 57,000 personnel to conduct the elections, adding additional police forces will be called in from Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

However, the police will still fall short of the required personnel. Therefore, Frontier Corps and Pakistan Army personnel will also be required to meet the shortage of police force.

Briefing on the security situation, IG K-P informed the meeting that over 494 attacks took place in 2022 targeting police whereas, in 2023, 93 personnel have been martyred in 46 attacks thus far.

Keeping in view the security situation, he stressed that the possibility of terrorist activities during elections cannot be ruled out. “It cannot be said that the upcoming elections will be completely peaceful, he warned”.

Deployment of army troops

During the meeting, CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja told K-P Chief Secretary Imdadullah Bosal and IG K-P Moazzam Jah Ansari that more spadework should be carried out regarding the deployment of army and FC troops, asking them to inform the commission so that relevant quarters can be contacted in time.

He said the commission was in touch with the ministries of interior and defence for the deployment of troops to ensure peaceful elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Stressing the importance of transparency, the CEC directed the provincial government, the chief secretary and the IG to ensure that the transfers of the officers posted to all the administrative posts in the province were done immediately, besides ensuring the appointment of impartial staff before the elections.

He said any complaints against the political affiliation of returning officers and district returning officers, who were appointed to supervise National Assembly by-elections, should be sent to the election commission for immediate action.

Chief Secretary Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assured to implement the instructions of the election commission. He said impartial officers will be appointed in all districts before the elections.

He said they are demanding the federal government to increase the election budget.