ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has directed governments of Punjab and Sindh to suspend arms licences two days before polling to be held for the second phase of local government elections on Nov 19.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissio­ner retired Justice Sardar Raza Khan and attended by senior officials of Punjab and Sindh governments.

Talking to journalists, ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad said that 40 companies of the army would be deployed in Punjab and 16 in Sindh during the LG polls.

He said the army would act as a quick response force on the polling day. The civil administration would primarily maintain law and order, but the army would be called in if a critical situation emerged, he said.

The ECP has decided to deploy army in Sanghar and Badin (Sindh) and Hafizabad (Punjab) to maintain law and order during the polls.

Also read: Arms licences to be computerised by Dec 31

The secretary said that Section 144 would be imposed on the polling day and no gathering within the radius of 200 metres of each polling station would be allowed.

He said that all contesting candidates would have to furnish affidavits to obey the ECP’s code of conduct and would remain peaceful during and after the election results were announced.

He said the ECP had banned aerial firing in celebrations and rallies.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2015