Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sought the help of the Pakistan army to conduct local government elections and by-polls in various constituencies in KP, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.
According to media reports, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja wrote a letter to Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday seeking security for the first and second phases of the Sindh local government elections on June 25 and July 24, respectively.
In addition to the Sindh local government elections, security from the army is also sought for the crucial by-elections to be held on July 17 in 20 constituencies of the Punjab Assembly, for the by-election in PK-7, Swat-VI on June 26 and for the by-election in NA 245, Karachi East-IV on July 27.
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Highlighting the significance of the help provided by the armed forces during the recent local government polls in KP and Balochistan, the CEC hoped for similar help in conducting the by-polls and two phases of local government elections in Sindh.
It is pertinent to mention here that the development has mainly come due to the recent violence in the NA 240 by-poll in Karachi that claimed one life, while clashes were also reported from Lahore between the workers of the PTI and PML-N ahead of by-polls.
