The caretaker government on Friday said that although the deteriorating law and order situation was a serious challenge ahead of the general elections, nothing could thwart the holding of free, fair and transparent elections. A meeting on law and order situation, chaired by the caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, decided to adopt zero-tolerance against the display of weapons, besides allocating special places for political meetings.
The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of three provinces, Secretary Interior, Defence, and Chief Secretaries of all provinces as well as chiefs of law enforcement agencies. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Minister for Information Arif Nizami and Minister for Law and Justice Bilal Ahmer Sufi said the Prime Minister remarked that as Election Day is fast approaching, the law and order situation is posing serious a challenge for the care taker government to hold free and fair elections.
The Minister for Information said that specific places would be determined for political gatherings and the candidates would be required to obtain prior permission from the district administration for political meetings so that security arrangements could be ensured. He said that the there would be complete ban on display of weapons during the election rallies and gatherings on the day of election. All candidates and political leaders would be provided adequate protection, adding that security would be ensured at sensitive places, he said.
The meeting, he said, had also decided to set up a special cell at the Ministry of Interior for collecting information from provinces, agencies and other sources, so that appropriate measures to be taken to maintain law and order situation during the elections. A quick reaction force of army personnel would be constituted that would take action during any untoward situation. Army personnel would be stationed near sensitive polling stations.
Without being specific, the law Minister said that the caretaker government would submit its reply to the apex court regarding proceeding against former President Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution on Monday. Arif Nizami said that the caretaker government would accept and implement court decision against Musharraf in latter and sprit. Bilal Sufi said that the situation is developing in Musharraf case on hourly basis and all the law enforcement agencies are dealing the matter in accordance to the law.
The Information Minister said that the caretaker government had also deliberated to hire services of retired armed forces personnel for the elections, as huge number of manpower were required for deployment at 90,000 polling stations and for protection of 450,000 ECP officials for conducing elections. The Secretary Interior stated that the federal government 200,000 civilian and armed force personnel at its disposal and provinces had been requested to submit their requirements in the next three days.
The Prime Minister further added that it is the duty of the government to ensure conducive atmosphere for the conducting fair and transparent elections. The Minister added that the Prime Minister said it is heartening to note that all the political parties, representing all shades of political spectrum, had decided to be part of mainstream political process, showing their confidence in the democratic dispensation. However, this confidence was seriously affected by recent killings of the prominent party candidates belonging to major political parties. There is a need to restore the confidence by assuring and ensuring a peaceful environment for the elections and maintaining law and order.
The Minister for Information said that the Chief Minister of Balochistan said that there is need to take stern action against separatists and armed groups in the province for holding peaceful electrons. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief Minister said that his province would require ten thousands security personnel and the federal government agreed on all of demands made by the province. The meeting decided that foreign observes would be provided complete security.
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