PESHAWAR, Sept 24: The Provincial Election Commission of NWFP has asked the NWFP government to take full proof security measures around the Election Commission office on Sept 27 and if the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government did not fulfil its responsibility the commission would call the Frontier Constabulary personnel for the protection of the commission office.

According to the Provincial Election Commissioner, a letter has been written to the NWFP home department asking the government to ensure full security around the election commission office on the day of submission of nomination papers for the presidential slot and the dates fixed for scrutiny of nomination papers.

Since various political parties and the Peshawar High Court Bar Association have threatened to besiege the Provincial Election Commission’s office on Sept 27, the Election Commission would call the Frontier Constabulary in case the provincial government failed to protect the commission’s office, Provincial Chief Election Commissioner Akhtar Hussain Sabir told PPI.

Mr Sabir said protection of national institutions was the prime responsibility of the government therefore, the provincial government had been requested to fulfil its responsibility.

The commission, he said, could also seek FC help if the situation demanded for it. The government would fulfil its responsibility without considering the ruling party stance, the NWFP election commissioner remarked.

The NWFP election commissioner said he was hopeful that the election process for the presidential slot would be completed smoothly, saying that it had not been cleared as to what kind of measures would be taken to avert the threats of siege around the election commission office.

Answering a question, Mr Sabir said: “We are not clear weather the road leading towards the election commission office would be closed on Sept 27 because the office is located in the Cantonment area where army has already adopted security measures”.

When asked how many candidates had obtained the

nomination papers, the

NWFP Election Commissioner said till Monday afternoon four candidates had been issued the nomi-nation papers from the Election Commission office while none of the candidate had applied to the registrar of the Peshawar High Court where nomination papers were also available.—PPI