KARACHI, April 30: The Sindh government has called out the army under Article 245 of the Constitution to help the civilian government in holding peaceful elections. In Karachi, troops will be deployed within 48 hours, but in the interior Sindh the deployment will take place when and wherever required by the civil administration.

This was stated by caretaker Information Minister Noorul Huda Shah at a Press Conference after a government-convened Multi-Party Conference (MPC) held in the Sindh Assembly building on Tuesday.

She said there was unanimity among the participants about holding of elections on time despite serious security concerns.

When her attention was drawn to the demand by 17 out of the 21 parties which participated in the conference for deployment of troops in Karachi, the minister said all participants were concerned about the security situation and all were in favour of deployment of the army in the city.

She said the parties attending the conference presided over by caretaker Chief Minister retired Justice Zahid Kurban Alavi had expressed their resolve to face the challenge posed by Taliban militants and participate in elections to continue the democratic process.

Ms Shah said the government had decided to provide maximum security and a plan was being worked out which would be ready in a couple of days.

Replying to a question about the Defence Housing Authority not allowing poll campaigns and rallies in areas under its jurisdiction, she said the matter had been discussed at the conference and would be taken up with the authorities concerned. She said the caretaker government had no desire to get its rule prolonged and it only wanted to hold free and fair elections and transfer power to elected representatives of the people.

Special Assistant to the Home Department Sharfuddin Memon condemned recent bomb blasts on MQM, ANP and PPP rallies and election offices, which left a number of innocent people dead or injured.

He said providing security to political parties, their candidates and leaders was the basic responsibility of the government.

He said it augured well that despite the loss of precious lives in bomb blasts and other acts of terror, there was complete harmony among participants of the conference to fully cooperate with the government in coping with the challenge of terrorism.

Mr Memon said that because of the peculiar security situation in the city and concerns of leaders and candidates of different political parties, the government had relaxed a ban on carrying weapons if prior permission had been obtained from the district management. He said the government had also allowed five private guards to leaders of all political parties with prior permission from the district magistrate concerned.