Independents can make their own PM if in majority: CEC

Raja says steps being taken for security of candidates, voters in K-P and Balochistan

ISLAMABAD:

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Thursday said it was a constitutional requirement for the independent members to join a political party within three days of winning in the general elections, but if they were in majority, they could also make their own premier.

The CEC, in an informal conversation with media personnel after holding a meeting on the deteriorating law and order situation in the provinces of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, maintained that steps were being taken for the security of candidates and voters.

He added that the meeting on security went well, reassuring that the general elections would be held on the scheduled date of 8th of this month and ruled out the need for any kind of ambiguity in connection with holding the polls.
Raja clarified that it was not within the authority of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to restore internet services in exceptional situations and sensitive areas.

“According to the security agencies, internet services will be available in the country on the election day,” he added.
He continued that the ECP’s Election Management System would work offline if there was any internet service issue.

Terming the security situation in Balochistan and K-P “not normal”, he said the law enforcement agencies were fully committed to their efforts, and the police chiefs of both the provinces had assured the candidates of more security.

The CEC said the PTI should inform the ECP about where it was not being allowed to open their office.

He added that the ECP would open the office for the party in that area. “What can we do if they [the PTI] are not deliberately opening their offices?”

Earlier during the meeting, the CEC conceded that there were security challenges and the safety situation was deteriorating in the two provinces.

According to a statement issued by the commission, the meeting was held at the ECP Secretariat in Islamabad to discuss the deteriorating security situation in the two provinces and its impact on the general elections.

The interim interior minister, interior secretary, chief secretaries as well as police chiefs of K-P and Balochistan, Intelligence Bureau director general; representatives of other agencies, ECP secretary and other senior officers attended the meeting hurriedly called to assess the security situation.

Raja pointed out that ECP offices as well as election rallies were being attacked in the two provinces just a week before the general polls.

However, he clarified that the polls would take place despite terrorism, security challenges, and the events affecting them.
The statement quoted the CEC as saying that foolproof security arrangements were being made for the polls and describing “terrorism as the biggest enemy of the electoral process”.

Raja reiterated that the ECP was fully prepared to hold peaceful polls on their scheduled date, expressing the hope that the law enforcement agencies and Pakistan Army troops would manage the situation.

He expressed full confidence in the law enforcement agencies, saying that they would make all necessary administrative and security arrangements for the peaceful conduct of the general elections.

The CEC continued that elements interfering in the elections and disrupting the security situation would be dealt with strictly, adding that no leniency would be shown to anyone in this connection.

He advised the law enforcement agencies to be wary of attempts by various elements to take the law into their hands, especially during the counting process and announcement of the results.

During the meeting, the interior secretary, chief secretaries and police chiefs of K-P and Balochistan; and representatives of intelligence agencies informed the CEC about all the security as well as administrative measures that had been taken to control the security situation across the country, especially in the two provinces, for peacefully conducting the general elections.

The Balochistan chief secretary and the police chief told the meeting that the provincial administration and security agencies were prepared to combat terrorism.

They briefed the commission about the ongoing operation against the terrorists.

The two officials assured the ECP that no political or non-political force would be allowed to obstruct the electoral process and those who did so would be “dealt with iron hands”.

Similarly, the K-P chief secretary and the police chief highlighted the security measures taken in the province in connection with the elections, while highlighting the threats it faced.

They said that preparations were complete at the administrative level and all resources had already been provided to the law enforcement agencies.

Caretaker Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz said he had returned from a visit to Balochistan where he reviewed the security situation.

He added that the federal and provincial governments would extend their full support and resources to the ECP for conducting the general elections.

“The elections will be held on February 8 come what may.”

The meeting was called just a day after the assassination of a National Assembly independent candidate in Bajaur district of K-P and the killing of an ANP activist in Balochistan’s Qilla Abdullah.

A sudden spurt in violence also saw a grenade attack on the election campaign office of PPP candidate, Ali Madad Jatak, on Quetta’s Sariab Road.

A similar grenade attack was carried out at the residence of another PPP candidate, Mir Zahoor Buledi, in Kech district of Balochistan.

On Tuesday, a bomb blast on a main road in Balochistan’s Sibi area during an election rally led by Saddam Tareen, a PTI-affiliated independent candidate for NA-253 (Ziarat) constituency, left at least four people dead and five others injured.

Ejaz said the attacks taking place in Balochistan were not related to the elections, but were acts of terrorism. He continued that there was no political polarisation in Balochistan.

“Our major challenge in Balochistan is terrorism, and the security agencies are commendably protecting the country.”

Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi said some elements had been spreading rumours about delaying the elections on the pretext of security and weather issues but the caretaker government was fully committed to conducting the general elections on Feb 8.

Solangi recalled that there were security issues in 2008 and 2013 but the general elections were still held.

Separately, the ECP decided to dispatch the ballot papers for the general elections in some areas of Balochistan and K-P by air to ensure prompt delivery.

“The ballot papers will be airlifted to Gwadar, Panjgur, Kach, Kharan, Bajaur and Kurram Agency,” the ECP spokesperson told APP.

The spokesperson added that the ballot papers would be sent by a helicopter and C-130 to these areas. (With input from APP)