GHQ excuses to provide security for elections

Islamabad: The Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) Wednesday excused for the provision of Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) for the elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Punjab Assembly and by-elections on 93 seats of the National Assembly, informed the Ministry of Interior in a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

According to the details, regarding the deployment of Rangers and FC outside the polling stations, the Ministry of Defense has written a letter to the Home Secretary stating that the armed forces and civil armed forces are engaged in border and interior security as per increase terrorism threats in the country.

Sources stated that the letter from the Ministry of Defense said that the armed forces will be engaged in the census process from February 27 to April 3, hence, the deployment of armed forces for polls is not feasible.

The text of the letter written to the Home Ministry said that the Punjab Rangers will be available as a quick response force in the Rajanpur by-election.

However, the military said that it can station troops on standby to act as a quick response force to respond to emerging situation as tier two and three response respectively under Article 220 of the Constitution.

On the other hand, the Finance Ministry has requested the Election Commission to postpone the request for additional supplementary grant for elections in the wider national interest.