ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has notified the deployment of armed forces and civil armed forces for the security duties during upcoming by-polls on the National Assembly (NA) and provincial assembly (PA) seats on October.
The deployment of military and paramilitary troops was notified for the security duties as quick response force (QRF) during October 16 by-polls in eight NA and three PA constituencies.
Rangers, Frontier Corps and Pakistan Army personnel will be deployed from October 15 to 17. The election commission also granted magisterial powers to the concerned officers of the armed forces.
According to the notification, the ECP authorised ‘each designated officer in-charge of [Pakistan Rangers (Punjab & Sindh), Frontier corps (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)(QRF mode only as 2 tire responder) Pakistan Army troops] deployed for providing security, as QRF model insitu/twd placed as decided by MO Dte as 3 tire responder) and Frontier Constabulary as 1″ tier responder outside the polling stations, from 15 October to 17 October,2022 on above-said constituencies for peaceful and smooth conduct of poll of the constituencies.”
It added, the armed forces “shall exercise powers of Magistrate First Class for entire duration of their deployment in respect of offences mentioned in section 171 (capturing of a polling station or polling booth) punishable under section 174 of the aforesaid Act and to take cognizance of any such offences under section 190 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and to try such offences in a summary way in accordance with the provisions of the said Code relating to summary trials.”
