Army to be deployed for second phase of KP LB polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday decided to deploy army personnel along with police during the second phase of local body elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The ECP has written a letter to the Ministry of Defence in this regard. In view of the grave failure of the provincial government to maintain law and order during the elections and in view of all the circumstances and events, the commission decided that wherever re-polling will take place in the province and during the second round of elections, the police along with the Pakistan Army will be deployed at the polling stations to ensure that not only peaceful elections are held but also that voters can exercise their voting right without fear or favour.

On this count, the commission heard cases of irregularities at various polling stations during the first phase of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) local government elections on December 19, 2021. During the hearing, the ECP was shown a video of ballot papers being torn at polling stations in Peshawar, ballot boxes being smashed, polling staff being beaten and polling process being violated by various individuals. There were about two to three policemen present at the station, who were mere spectators.