ISLAMABAD, Jan 21: The government has decided to deploy army to maintain law and order during elections, Caretaker Interior Minister Lt-Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz said on Monday.

He told media that troops called out for maintaining peace during Muharram would remain at their present positions during polls.

The minister said that besides the army, paramilitary Rangers and Frontier Constabulary would be used during the polls.

The decision has been taken in view of reports that terrorists may try to undermine the election process and that many prominent political leaders were on their hit-list. In reply to a question about investigation into Ms Bhutto’s assassination, the minister said that investigators had solid evidence of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud’s involvement.

“This has also been confirmed by the CIA,” he said.

He said that apart from rooting out militancy from tribal areas, the current military operation in these areas was also meant to arrest Baitullah and militant cleric Maulana Fazlullah.