The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to avail the services of the Pakistan army during the upcoming general election, scheduled to be held on February 8, 2022.
According to details, ECP has written a letter to the Ministry of Interior and sought details regarding security during the general election. The ministry has been directed to provide a report about the availability of security personnel for the four provinces and Islamabad by November 27.
The letter further added that the federal and provincial authorities are constitutionally bound to assist the ECP. Additionally, law enforcement agencies are responsible for improving the law and order situation across all the constituencies.
According to sources, the decision to deploy the Pakistan army was taken to address the shortage of police personnel at the polling stations. It is pertinent to mention that earlier this year, the Pakistan army had excused itself from election duty due to the security situation in the country.
On the other hand, ECP has started preparations for the February 8 election as the printing of final electoral rolls has begun. Moreover, the commission is expected to notify the code of conduct for the elections in the next few days.
