Army will not be deployed for Gilgit-Baltistan elections: CM

GILGIT: Caretaker Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Mir Afzal said that the army’s assistance will not be required during the legislative assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference, he said the army will not be deployed for security during the Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for 15th November.

He said that the services of police and paramilitary forces would be utilised to maintain the law and order in the region. “We will prove that police and paramilitary forces have full capability to provide security during elections,” he said. “We will set an example for the whole country by conducting the GB elections without the army,” he added.

He clarified that army officials could be posted in sensitive areas depending on the conditions. Afzal said the caretaker government is neutral and would investigate any evidence of rigging.

Meanwhile, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan said that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken all political parties on board to ensure free and fair elections in the region.

Addressing a news conference, he resolved to conduct transparent elections at any cost and said no government official could visit the region or run an election campaign.

He said that the PML-N has lost control of its workers and now leveling allegations of “political engineering” against the election commission.

He said they would help would be taken from GB Scouts, Rangers, police and Frontier Corps for the security. However, he said the army would only be posted at sensitive polling stations.

The Chief Election Commissioner said that scrutiny of the nomination papers regarding GB Assembly elections is underway. He said that health experts would prepare standard operating procedures (SOPs) against coronavirus regarding the elections.