News
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Army asked to guard Sindh during election* Troops also asked to handle transportation pf election material
* PPP, MQM, ANP oppose decision
By Razzak Abro
KARACHI: The Sindh government has formally called in the army to take care of election material transportation as well as maintaining law and order in Karachi and other parts of the province.
Sindh Chief Secretary Chaudhry Muhammad Ejaz disclosed this on Tuesday after participating in the All-Parties Conference (APC) hosted by the Sindh caretaker government. Some 23 political parties attended the APC. Three major political parties, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) opposed the deployment of army, while 17 parties, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Fazlur Rehman supported the step.
The chief secretary said that the army will be involved in three election phases, distribution of the election material, including ballot papers, maintaining law and order, and transportation of the election material back on completion of the polling process. According to him, Sindh government had officially approached the Ministry of Defence for deployment of the Army on April 28. He said that the army’s deployment in different provincial districts will be completed within two to three days, in consultation with the district administrations and district returning officers (DRO). He said that the DROs can call more personnel of the army in their districts if needed.
The chief secretary said that some 5,500 polling stations in the province have been declared sensitive. The presiding officers can call additional forces in the most sensitive polling stations when needed, he added. According to him, the deployment of the regular law enforcement agencies, including the police and Rangers, has already been chalked out throughout Sindh for maintaining law and order during the polling process.
Ejaz said that political parties of the province have assured complete cooperation in maintaining law and order during the polls. Speaking on the occasion, special assistant to Sindh caretaker chief minister on Home Affairs Sharfuddin Memon said that the provincial government has given conditional permission to the candidates for carrying licensed arms for personal protection during the polling process. He said that they can take their licensed arms after getting prior permission from the district administration concerned.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk