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Wednesday, May 01, 2013
SC orders efforts to ensure peaceful electionStaff Report
ISLAMABAD: Taking notice of the recent spate of bomb explosions during the ongoing elections campaign, the Supreme Court has directed the chief secretaries of all provinces and the Islamabad chief commissioner to control law and order situation throughout the country so the general elections could be conducted peacefully.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, observed that the executives who are bound to assist the ECP in holding honest, free and fair general elections are required to ensure protection of the life and property of the citizens, voters and candidates throughout the country because a peaceful and congenial atmosphere persuades the voters, citizens and the candidates to fully participate in the process of general elections throughout the country. The court has also noted, “There are certain areas where the life and property of the citizens, voters and the candidates, prima facie, seems to be not protected, as has been reported in the media about the incidents of bomb explosions, suicides and murders, etc.” During the hearing, counsel for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Munir Ahmad Paracha stated that the ECP was already focusing on this subject and assured that all possible efforts/steps would be taken to provide peaceful and congenial atmosphere to the voters, citizens and the candidates.
The chief justice observed that all the political parties were comparatively safe in Punjab, but the situation was totally different in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He also noted that the law and order situation in Karachi had deteriorated; however, he said security situation was comparatively better in the rest of Sindh. Earlier, petitioner Bilal Minto had urged the court to direct the ECP to bar contesting candidates from establishing their camps near the polling station. Upon this, the court responded that at this stage they did not want to issue any direction to the commission in order to avoid any impact on the electoral process. The hearing of the case has been adjourned for two weeks.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk