ISLAMABAD: Armed Forces of Pakistan under article 245 of the constitution of the country will assist in the conduct of general elections that to be held on February and will perform duties as Quick Reaction Force, and the third tier in the respective areas, official media reported.
Radio Pakistan reported that the primary responsibility of maintaining law and order during the election rests with the police, while civil armed forces such as Frontier Corps and Rangers will be responsible for security in the second tier. It added that the Army will be deployed in the general polling areas in the third tier to deal with any security situation.
The report maintained that civil Armed Forces and Pakistan Army personnel will cooperate to provide a safe atmosphere so that the polling staff including District Returning Officers, Returning Officers and Presiding Officers can perform their duties amicably. It added that only the Civil Armed Forces of the country will be responsible for security of the printing press during the process of printing ballot papers.
Pakistan Elections
According to Radio Pakistan, foolproof security will be provided for the delivery of electoral materials from the offices of the Returning Officers to the polling stations, during the counting and transfer of the electoral materials back to the offices of the Returning Officers following the completion of the election process. It added that a complete ban will also be imposed on display of arms on the polling day.
Radio Pakistan reported that Police will be responsible for security as Tier One, while the Civil Armed Forces and the Pakistan Army will be responsible for Tier Two and Tier Three respectively to ensure a safe atmosphere.
It added that civil Armed Forces and Pakistan Army will not interfere in any way in the work of Presiding Officer, Assistant Presiding Officer or Polling Officer. The Civil Armed Forces and the Pakistan Army will perform their duties outside the selected highly sensitive polling stations and will focus exclusively on maintaining peaceful atmosphere. Radio Pakistan added that the civil Armed Forces and the Armed Forces will not interfere in any way in the process of counting of votes and remain alert outside the polling station.
