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ISLAMABAD: The Federal Interior Ministry is reported to have ordered deployment of Frontier Constabulary in order to provide security at sensitive polling stations during Local Government elections in Sindh.
The development came after the Army’s central command reportedly refused to arrange static deployment at various polling stations in Karachi and Hyderabad, as part of second phase of LG elections, scheduled for January 15 (Sunday).
In a letter to the ECP, the Interior Ministry had said that deployment of 20,000 personnel of Army and Rangers was sought at sensitive and most sensitive polling stations but the GHQ had conveyed that the they could not spare such a large number of personnel.
Also read: ECP rejects Sindh govt’s decision, to hold LG elections in Karachi & Hyd on Jan 15
MM News has learnt that the move by federal interior ministry came at the request of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). However, the time and areas for deployment will be mutually decided by the Sindh government, ECP and FC high-ups.
The ECP on Friday had rejected Sindh government’s stance to delay LG polls in Karachi and Hyderabad and decided to go ahead with its original schedule of polling on Jan 15.
Also read: Sindh govt writes to ECP, seeks postponement of LG polls yet again
It may be added here that the Sindh government, earlier today, wrote a letter to the provincial election commissioner, seeking to postpone the local body elections in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions citing security concerns.
