PESHAWAR: The opposition Jamaat-i-Islami on Saturday expressed reservations about the deployment of the army troops to guard polling stations for the next phase of local body elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision about it showed a lack of confidence in the provincial government.

The ECP recently announced the schedule of the next LG election phase saying polling will be held in 18 districts on March 27.

Giving details of the decisions made in the party’s provincial Shura here, the JI provincial chief Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said after the announcement of the schedule of the second phase of the LG elections, Prime Minister Imran Khan should postpone his scheduled visit to Dir district.

He said he would bring the violation of the code of conduct to the notice of the ECP and approach the courts as well. Mr Mushtaq said the deployment of the army at polling stations during elections was clear no confidence in the KP government.

Says ECP decision shows lack of confidence in govt

He said that defeat of the ruling party in the second phase of the election was inevitable and the government would face humiliating defeat.

The JI leader said posting and transfers of the officers after the announcement of the election schedule was also a violation of the code of conduct and urged the commission to take notice of the widespread violations.

He said the JI activists would take to the streets against the violation of the election code of conduct.

“The government is trying to influence elections through massive posting and transfer of the officers,” he said.

Mr Mushtaq said his party had performed well in the first phase of elections and would show better results in the second phase.

He said the party was ready for seat adjustment with other political parties except for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

The JI leader said the provincial Shura of the party discussed the next phase of the LG election and worked out the strategy for it.

Voicing concern about the deteriorating law and order situation and current wave of terrorism, he said the government had lost its writ.

Mr Mushtaq said seven acts of terrorism were reported in the country during the last one week, while street crimes and target killings were on the rise but the interior minister had limited himself to the TV talk shows.

The JI leader also flayed fuel price adjustment in electricity bills and the government had adjusted Rs97 billion in the Dec and Jan power bills on that account.

He claimed that the International Monetary Fund was dictating the government on its economic policies, which caused unprecedented inflation.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2022