HYDERABAD: The Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan, Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad, has said all district returning officers (DROs) and police authorities want deployment of army in the second phase of local government elections in Sindh.

He said that more than the required number of security personnel could be sought for deployment to ensure violence-free elections in the province. He urged all stakeholders to assist the ECP in holding fair polls in line with constitutional responsibilities.

He was briefing journalists on the second phase of LG elections at the Hyderabad Development Authority’s secretariat on Monday. He was accompanied by Hyderabad Commissioner Asif Hyder Shah, provincial election commissioner Tanvir Zaki, ECP joint secretary Attaur Rehman and regional election commissioner Aijaz Chohan.

The ECP secretary said that about 51,000 police personnel would be deployed at 7,000 polling stations in 15 districts (three divisions) where 2,500 stations had been declared sensitive and the same number very sensitive.

“DROs, administration and police want deployment of army in sensitive districts. Additional chief secretary (home) has even said that 16 companies of the army are required in addition to 8,000 to 9,000 Rangers personnel. The available strength of Rangers is 3,500,” he said.

He said a meeting was scheduled for Nov 11 in Islamabad to evaluate all factors and take a final decision accordingly. The meeting will be attended by the secretaries of defence and interior.

All stakeholders urged to assist the ECP in holding fair polls in line with constitutional responsibilities

TROUBLE SPOTS: The ECP secretary said that given the number of sensitive polling stations deployment of soldiers in huge numbers was a bit difficult.

“The Hyderabad DIG has pointed out that there are 203 trouble spots alone in his range and obviously such locations exist in other districts as well,” he said, adding that it was not necessary that only highly sensitive or sensitive polling stations became trouble spots for the authorities considering the Daraza Sharif tragedy in Khairpur, though the area was not sensitive.

Mr Fateh said the Hyderabad division commissioner and the DIG had given their analysis of the situation in Sanghar against the backdrop of the Khairpur incident. “Sanghar can have a spill-over effect of Khairpur while Badin has its own dynamics. So both the districts are being given attention accordingly.”

He said the ECP had not received any investigation report on the Daraza Sharif incident.

He said the army always preferred ECP’s request for its assistance in polls. “If we need their support more than what is being sought by the additional chief secretary we will be going out of way for that to ensure violence-free elections and protect people’s lives.”

PUBLIC MEETINGS: He said the ECP had not allowed public meetings at every place to enforce its code of conduct. DROs and ROs have been directed to warn candidates against violating the code. The secretary said the DROs had been asked to be careful in relocating polling stations because it was a root cause of fight in half of the cases.

He pointed out that 97 per cent printing of ballots was completed and these had been despatched to seven districts.

Mr Fateh said the ECP was facing shortage of staff and that’s why it hired thousands of officials from different departments. Before the 18th Amendment it wasn’t the commission’s job to hold LG polls.

He admitted that DROs and ROs needed to be trained, but added that people should trust them and the ECP. In one case, he recalled, a DRO had been transferred and in two or three cases ROs faced action on candidates’ complaints. He said the candidates found violating the code of conduct would face inquiry.

Earlier, the ECP secretary addressed a meeting held to review arrangements for LG elections. He directed the ECP officials to ensure effective implementation of the code of conduct and take action against its violators.

Sindh IG Ghulam Hyder Jamali told the meeting that 28,000 police personnel would be engaged in election duties in Hyderabad, 8,000 in Mirpurkhas and 15,000 in Benazirabad. He said he had directed DIGs of the three ranges to keep an eye on people coming from other districts.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2015