ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected Punjab government’s request to postpone the Oct 16 by-election in Multan.

An official of the commission told Dawn that the postponement request had been made because of the security situation in the city following the loss of seven lives in a stampede at a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf rally on Friday.

The provincial election commission forwarded the request to the ECP with the observation that the law and order situation was not so serious to warrant postponement of the by-election, especially when all arrangements for the polling in NA-149 had been made.

The ECP, therefore, rejected the Punjab government’s request.

The decision came a day after the PTI had alleged that the government, in connivance with the ECP, wanted the by-poll postponed to avert the defeat of independent candidate Javed Hashmi who was being supported by the ruling PML-N.

The ECP also decided to deploy Rangers during the by-election.

The ECP official said letters had been sent to the interior secretary, the chief secretary of Punjab and the director general, Rangers, asking them to ensure adequate security during the by-election.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2014