Upsurge in attacks: CEC urges caretakers to ensure security of politicians

Continuing acts of terrorism are likely to lower the morale of the public: CEC

ISLAMABAD:

Frustrated by scathing criticism stemming from the recent attacks on politicians, the Election Commission of Pakistan has written letters to the caretaker administrations asking them to put in place stringent security measures.

In his letter to the caretaker interior minister, home ministers, secretaries, heads of Rangers in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, and Frontier Corps chiefs in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the chief election commissioner (CEC), Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, asked them to ensure security of all election candidates, top political leaders and voters.

“It is the prime legal and constitutional duty of the executive in each province, presently headed by a caretaker government, to ensure complete safety to the person and property of candidates and leaders of each and every political party as well as common men, women and children through the aegis of police, Rangers and even military. [Continuing] acts of terrorism are likely to lower the morale of the public, as such, must be dealt with an iron hand,” reads the CEC letter.

The development came two days after President Asif Ali Zardari contacted Ebrahim and conveyed his apprehensions over the security situation, which is being considered a daunting challenge for holding the historic parliamentary elections on May 11.

Printing of ballots begins

The election authorities started the printing of around 180 million ballot sheets for the elections. ECP officials said the returning officers (ROs) had sent the final lists of candidates to the provincial headquarters of the commission, which were then sent to the two leading government printing bodies. Green ballot papers will be used for National Assembly and white for Provincial Assembly votes.

The Printing Corporation of Pakistan – which has offices in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore – will print 120 million ballots, while the rest will be printed at the Pakistan Security Printing Corporation Ltd in Karachi. ‘Non-market’ imported paper with special security features will be used for ballot papers.

Army troops have been deployed for security while ECP officials have been deputed for round-the-clock supervision of the printing process to make sure no sample of the paper is leaked.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2013.