News
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
Kayani for peaceful polls in BalochistanQUETTA: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani called for holding peaceful elections in Balochistan on Monday.
He underlined the need for implementation of the security plan chalked out for May 11 polls in Balochistan during a high-level meeting to discuss provincial security plan for general elections. COAS General Kayani, who is on an official visit here, reviewed the security measures and deployment of army troops for election duty in different parts of Balochistan. Commandant Southern Command Lieutenant General Muhammad Aalam Khatak, Balochistan Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh, Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durani, FC IG, IG police and heads of intelligence agencies attended the meeting.
“Strategy plan devised for the conduct of peaceful polls in Balochistan is apparently well coordinated and integrated,” COAS said and stressed the need for its implementation accordingly. He urged the participants to ensure that all-out efforts were in place for holding peaceful elections in Balochistan. Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asim Bajwa, while briefing the media persons, said that deployment of army troops in Balochistan has been completed.
“As many as 6,0000 security personnel, including 7,000 army troops, were deployed on polling duty across the province,” he said, adding that army has been called in aid of the civil power under the Article 245 of the constitution and would provide full assistance to the provincial government in this connection. He noted that there was complete liaison between the security forces and intelligence agencies as Quick Response Force is prepared to repulse any attack. Major General Bajwa said that joint patrolling of personnel of security forces in the volatile districts was in progress.
Referring to assistance of the army in polls, he recalled that transportation of the ballot papers in 53 Balochistan constituencies has been carried out by military helicopters while the same were transported through army vehicles in rest of the eleven constituencies. Expressing concern over poll-related violence, he said that the integrated efforts of the army and provincial government averted many acts of saboteurs in the province. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk