PML-N seeks deployment of Rangers during second phase of elections

Ismail Rahoo said the party's voters faced critical situations due to the Khairpur incident

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) called on Friday comments from the federal and provincial authorities on a petition seeking deployment of the paramilitary force at the polling stations during the upcoming local bodies' elections in the province, in the wake of the Khairpur clash.

Headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, the division bench issued notices to the federal and provincial interior secretaries, the chief election commissioner, the provincial election commissioner and the provincial chiefs of the Rangers and police to file their comments by November 10.

The demand for the deployment of the army or Rangers in the local bodies' elections came from the Pakistan Muslim League-N's Sindh chapter president, Muhammad Ismail Rahoo.

He told the judges that prior to the local government elections, recently held in some districts of the Sindh in the first phase, he made several requests to the provincial election commissioner, asking him to approach the federal interior ministry, Sindh home secretary, the chief secretary and the Rangers director general to deploy Rangers at each polling station.

Rahoo said that during the first phase of elections, his activists and voters faced critical situation due to the firing incident in district Khairpur, where 12 people were killed and several others were injured.

Advocate Nehal Hashmi said the petitioner had requested the provincial election commission (PEC) to seek deployment of the paramilitary forces, but it did not take any action despite repeated requests. Also, requests were made to the PEC to retain the old polling stations in Taluka Shaheed Fazil Rahoo (Golachi) in district Badin and Taluka Ghulam Hyder in district Tando Muhammad Khan.

The lawyer argued that provincial election commissioner and its chief are bound to provide protection and safety to the voters, but the PEC is yet to take any action.

"The provincial election commissioner has the powers to issue letters to the authorities to seek deployment of the army or paramilitary forces during the next two phases of local government elections in the province, but the respondent is silent," he contended.

The bench issued notices to the interior secretary, the home secretary, the chief secretary, the Election Commission of Pakistan, the Sindh PEC, the Rangers DG and police IG for November 10. The deputy attorney general and provincial law officer were also issued notices to file comments of the concerned authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2015.