The Centre for Media and Democracy (CMD), Pakistan on Sunday urged the law enforcement agencies to tighten noose around those elements who were posing threats to the maintenance of law and order on the election day.
Addressing a press conference here, Ayub Munir, Chairman CMD Pakistan said that the CMD Fact-Finding Missions have reported from across the country that the rigging allegations, blatant display of weapons by the candidates and their supporters, violation of the code of conduct and massive use of money may result in large scale clashes and law and order situation.
The CMD also unveiled a Report on the observation based on the pre-election campaigning process, which stressed the need to deploy armed forces to the extent that free, fair and transparent polls could be ensured on the polling day.
He said that the authorities concerned should take notice of these developments and security should be beefed up to maximum level so as any law and order situation may be averted.
"There is no need for keeping the army in reserve and maximum security deployments should be ensured and the army should be visible so as any bid to create violence is foiled," Munir said and added that it is alarming to note that almost all the candidates of leading political parties in most parts of the country are claiming victory even before the polling is held.
"This is a matter of concern for us as one individual would win and the rest of the candidates would hold protest in the name of rigging allegations," he said.
The CMD also called for taking adequate measures against those Nazims who were reportedly influencing the voters for their kins who are contesting the polls. "As most of the complaints the ECP has received are against the local governments and no complaint has been lodged either against the federal or provincial government, the authorities should take note of these complaints and once the polls are over, adequate action should be taken against those Nazims who are violating the laws," he said.
On the occasion, Marjan Lucas, a CMD observer from Holand said that the role of media is crucial in polls monitoring. She asked the media to report to the foreign observers if they find concrete proof of any vote stealing. Thomas Houlahan from United States said that the government had taken substantial steps to check vote rigging.
"The introduction of transparent ballot boxes and announcement of results by District Returning Officers (DROs) locally has closed the doors on vote stealing. However, the accusers of vote rigging should come up with concrete proof and we would take notice of such reporting," he said adding that everybody in Pakistan talks about vote rigging but when he/she is argued how it is going to happen they are speechless.
Meanwhile, the CMD report added that most urgent action needed to be taken was to check the blatant display of weapons which continues in the name of security cover and this tendency could brace large scale violence.
"Our fact finding missions reported that the law and order situation in many areas is highly volatile including Gujarat District, home to stalwarts like former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, former chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, former federal minister Ahmed Mukhtar, former MNA and prominent PPP leader Qamar-uz-Zaman Kaira and many others. Our fact finding missions also reported carriage and public display of firearms during political meetings and processions as a routine practice. Most people used it on the pretext of threat to personal security and kept a convoy of heavily armed guards with them at all times which induces fear and intimidation in the hearts of voters as well as other candidates," the report highlighted.
The report added that Pakistan Peoples Party candidate in Gujrat had armed guards with him who were carrying lethal weapons and PML-Q candidates also had private armed guards while private men having lethal weapons boarding vehicles were also seen during the visit to Gujrat.
There were also examples cited of the candidates who had to withdraw their candidature due to intimidation by some other more powerful candidates, the report claimed.
"The CMD's fact-finding mission during its visit to Karachi found out that most of the candidates feared that massive law and order situation can occur on the polling day in Karachi. Carriage and display of arms was also reported from Mardan. It was reported from Balochistan that APDM parties that have boycotted the polls are involved in intimidation of those participating in elections; especially Pakhtoonkhwah Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) members were found involved in such harassment," it was reported.
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