At odds with ECP? Govt not to deploy soldiers at individual polling stations

Army personnel will be kept in reserve close to cantonment areas.

ISLAMABAD:

After weeks of dilly-dallying, the caretaker administration drew the line on Friday against the deployment soldiers at polling stations, saying that though the armed forces would be present ‘close to cantonment areas’ they would not be placed at individual polling stations.

The decision was announced after caretaker Premier Mir Hazar Khan Khoso convened a high-level meeting on Friday. Briefing the news media, Information Minister Arif Nizami said that army personnel would be kept in reserve close to cantonment areas so that they could act quickly should the need arise.

The move is in stark contrast to the public stance taken by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the issue. Over the last few weeks, the poll supervisory body had made it clear that army personnel would be deployed inside all polling stations in Karachi, including those declared sensitive across the country.

The decision also seemed to be at odds with the general thread of debate that took place during Friday’s meeting.

The high-level meeting, which was also attended by Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt General Zaheerul Islam, Intelligence Bureau director general, all chief ministers except for Sindh, provincial police chiefs (IGs), provincial chief secretaries, as well as defence and interior secretaries, acknowledged that “efforts were under way to sabotage the upcoming general elections”.

The recent law and order situation was the focal point of discussion. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Justice (retd) Tariq Pervez’s request for a 10, 000-strong force was approved in the meeting and all chief ministers were asked to let the federal government know about their requirements in this regard.

The information minister said that non-state actors had declared war against the democratic process in a bid to sabotage the electoral process but the government and political forces would overcome all difficulties. The recent attacks on political rallies and candidates were also discussed.

He said that the policy of zero tolerance against display of arms would be followed, with some exceptions for Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The director general of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) also informed the meeting that security will be provided to candidates and voters alike for fair elections. It will be mandatory for all political parties to inform district administrations before a rally so that appropriate arrangements are made, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2013.