Pak army discusses deployment of military during Feb 8 polls

Islamabad, Jan 31 (PTI) The top brass of the Pakistan Army on Wednesday discussed the deployment of the military to assist the election commission in the peaceful conduct of the February 8 polls.

Tensions are escalating in Pakistan as it gears up for the general elections with several incidents of poll violence already taking place across the country.

“Pakistan Army will perform assigned duties as per the Constitutional mandate, under the guidelines of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). No one would be allowed to indulge in violence in the name of political activity and sabotage the quintessential democratic exercise of conduct of free and fair elections,” according to a statement issued by the army.

The discussion took place at the 262nd Corps Commanders’ Conference held at the GHS Rawalpindi. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir presided over the meeting.

Earlier in the day, a leader of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party who was contesting from the Bajaur constituency for a seat in the National Assembly as an independent candidate, was shot dead while three of his supporters were injured after unknown gunmen indiscriminately fired at his poll campaign rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Siddiq Abad Phatak Bazar Main Chowk area.

On Monday, violent clashes erupted in the Nazimanad area in Karachi, resulting in the death of a worker from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM Pakistan) and injuries to three others during an exchange of gunfire with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers.

A day earlier on Sunday last, at least 25 people, including some policemen, were injured after heavy contingents of police baton charged, fired tear gas shells and forcibly dispersed an election rally of PTI party in Karachi's Clifton area.

Wednesday's conference also resolved that terrorists, their facilitators and abettors will be dealt with with the full might of the state.

The meeting also reiterated unequivocal support for Palestine and the people of Gaza while noting the extremely negative fallout of the conflict and the potential to spill over into the wider region. The immediate need for a permanent ceasefire and enduring solution to the Palestinian question was unanimously recognised, the statement said. PTI SH SCY AKJ SCY SCY