Staff Reporter Islamabad
The Election Commission of Pakistan has rejected the PTI’s request for army deployment during the upcoming cantonment board elections.
The ECP informed the PTI of its decision in writing, the sources said. Election Commission has said that security arrangements have been finalized and Army is not required in presence of Police, Rangers and FC.
Earlier, the PTI had requested for the deployment of the Pakistan Army in the cantonment board elections, which are scheduled for September 12 for the 42 cantonment boards across the country.
The request was made to “maintain law and order” and “ensure transparency”, as per a letter by PTI chief organiser Senator Saif-ullah Khan Niazi to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.
The September 12 cantonment board elections will be the first grassroots level electoral contest between the country’s arch rival political parties after the 2018 general elections.
The polls have been pending since 2019 because of the coronavirus pandemic and re-demarcation of wards in the cantonments.
