Daily Times

With the general elections 2024 a little over two weeks away, the Federal Cabinet on Tuesday green-lighted the deployment of Pakistan Army’s personnel as the country was facing a shortage of over 270,000 security personnel.

The federal cabinet’s meeting, chaired by interim Prime Minister (PM) Anwaarul Haq Kakar, approved the Minister of Interior’s summary regarding the deployment of the armed forces during the upcoming general elections 2024.

According to the decision, Pakistan Army’s personnel will be deployed as Rapid Response Force in “sensitive constituencies” across the country.

The development comes after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sought 277,000 army personnel to be deployed across the country to maintain security, and law and order situation across the country.

Sources said that the country was facing a shortage of over 277,000 security personnel, whereas only 328,000 police personnel were currently available.

The Feb 8 elections are surrounded by doubts over the security and safety of both candidates and voters, with several violent incidents including attacks on candidates were being reported across the country.

Several politicians have also expressed concern over the law and order situation – with some even moving the Senate seeking poll delay in this regard.

The Upper House of Parliament adopted a resolution, which was moved by independent Senator Dilawar Khan during a session with only 15 lawmakers in attendance. It sought delay in general elections in the light of extreme weather in hilly areas and the deteriorating security situation. Last week, the ECP had issued its “Code of Conduct for Security Personnel”, warning them against bias while being on election duty.

The ECP’s protocol, which excludes the armed forces and civil armed forces, directs the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to perform their duties in accordance with the law and within the confines of the mandate assigned to the police.

Security personnel – who will provide security for the printing and transport of ballot papers along with the polling bags – will perform their duties under Article 220 of the Constitution of Pakistan, Section 5 read with Section 193 of the Election Act, 2017.

Directing the security apparatus to cooperate with district returning officers (DROs), returning officers (ROs) and presiding officers (POs), the electoral body has stressed the need for LEAs to “remain impartial and neutral throughout the election process […] and shall not act in favour of or against any political party or candidate in any manner whatsoever”. Underscoring the significance of ensuring a peaceful and transparent polling process, the ECP has warned security personnel against disallowing a voter to cast his/her vote. Meanwhile, the ECP on Tuesday froze the development funds for municipal institutions.

The uplift funds for the local government (LG) institutions would be frozen until the announcement of the election results, the poll organising authority issued a notification in this regard. The new order read that the local governments would only perform routine affairs of sanitation and cleanliness across the country. The ECP also banned the launching of any LG development schemes and work on previous projects. Additionally, the local bodies and cantonment boards have been barred from issuing tenders until the conclusion of the entire electoral process.

In another development, the top electoral body informed the candidates and political parties contesting the nationwide polls that there will be no poll campaign after February 6 at midnight. “According to Section 182 of the Elections Act 2017, no person shall hold or participate in any public meeting, procession, corner meeting or such political activity after midnight on February 6, 2024, and February 7, 2024,” ECP’s spokesperson was quoted as saying. “Therefore, legal action will be taken against any person who violates the above provision of the law,” the spokesperson added.