ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will deploy armed forces outside the “most sensitive” polling stations for the upcoming national elections, its election oversight body said on Thursday, as it issued a code of conduct for the security personnel.
The Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) notification came days after the federal cabinet approved the deployment of Pakistan Army troops in sensitive constituencies and polling stations for the national elections scheduled for Feb. 8.
Pakistan’s interior ministry had sought the cabinet’s approval for the deployment of troops in sensitive constituencies as the South Asian country continues to witness a spike in militant violence, particularly in its western regions.
The ECP said it was its duty to conduct elections and to make such arrangements that the polls are conducted honestly, fairly and in accordance with the law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against.
“Pakistan armed forces/civil armed forces shall assist in provision of secure environment by deploying in Quick Reaction Force mode and outside selected most sensitive polling stations from 5th February, 2024 to 10th February, 2024 to assist Election Commission of Pakistan in conduct of elections in a free, fair and transparent manner,” the election regulator said in a notification.
“Pakistan armed forces/civil armed forces shall assist in security during transportation of ballot papers and election material from printing presses to respective district returning officers’ offices as per transportation plan issued by the competent authority.”
They will also provide security during transportation of election material from offices of returning officers to polling stations and back, after completion of polling and counting, according to the ECP.
Separately, the ECP issued a code of conduct for armed forces and civil armed forces on Thursday, urging them to remain “impartial” and “neutral” throughout the election process, “exclusively concentrate” on ensuring a secure environment for polls and “not in any case assume the duties of polling staff.”
Pakistan’s powerful military, which has directly ruled the South Asian country on many occasions and continues to wield enough influence in civilian setups, has been accused of meddling in politics and engineering the ascent and descent of politicians in the country. An allegation it denies.
The ECP’s code of conduct comes amid allegations by former prime minister Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party that the powerful military establishment and the caretaker government were trying to prevent the PTI from winning a considerable number of seats. Both the government and the military have denied it.
Khan, who was ousted in April 2022, is believed to have been brought to power by the military. The former premier blames his ouster on the military as well, after he fell out with generals over the appointment of the chief of the country’s main spy agency. The military denies supporting or ousting Khan.
The South Asian country has also been facing overlapping security, economic, political and security crises in the run up to the elections. It has seen a surge in militant attacks in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan since November 2022, when a fragile truce between the Pakistani Taliban and the state broke down.
Political parties and security analysts have expressed fears of polls being marred by pre-election violence.
The ECP has established 92,353 polling stations across the country for general elections, In Pakistan, polling booths are usually marked sensitive in areas with a record of militant or other types of violence.
The ECP announced this week it had categorized over 17,500 polling stations as “highly sensitive,” 32,508 as “sensitive,” and 42,500 as “normal.”
Pakistani election candidates have also suffered attacks this month by unidentified assailants. An independent election candidate was shot dead with two others on Jan. 10 in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. A former minister of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, Aslam Buledi, was critically injured after unidentified gunmen targeted him in the southwestern Turbat district on the same day.
The situation is particularly difficult for politicians contesting from KP, where a worker convention of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) party was targeted last year.
