PESHAWAR: The Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has sent a report to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding a consultative meeting on the issue of general elections in the province.
In the report, the Governor stated that the security situation is fragile at the moment and additional security officials are not available. He also mentioned that there are difficult economic conditions and a census is underway. He said that before the announcement of the date of general elections, these challenges should be resolved.
The report further stated that election date issued should be resolved under the Constitution and the Election Act. The date of the election will be announced after consulting with other stakeholders, including the Ministry of Defense and Interior.
The report also mentioned that the operation against terrorists will end in a few months, and this should also be considered. The terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is on the rise, and terrorist groups have infiltrated the settled areas from across the border. The security situation in the merged tribal districts is very fragile, and residents of these areas are 100% more at risk compared to residents of other areas. Due to these risks, politicians and polling staff cannot move freely.
Meanwhile, the the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that the law and order situation in the province is unstable and that the police face a shortage of 56,000 personnel for conducting the elections.
The meeting, chaired by chief election commissioner, was attended by members of the Election Commission, the Secretary of the Election Commission, the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who gave a briefing.
The Chief Election Commissioner emphasized that conducting peaceful elections is extremely important so that candidates and voters can exercise their right to vote without fear or danger.
The Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that the provincial government was facing a financial loss of Rs 19 billion and that nearly Rs 1.6 billion more are required for holding the provincial assembly elections. The provincial government is finding it difficult to fulfill the required budget, and in addition to the expenses of the Election Commission, more funds are needed for conducting the elections.
The Chief Secretary further stated that the law and order situation in the province is unstable, and the police face a shortage of 56,000 personnel for conducting the elections. Keeping in view the situation, there is no guarantee that the upcoming elections will be peaceful.
He also said that the deployment of Pakistan Army/FC during the elections is extremely important because the police alone cannot control the law and order situation during the elections. In the last two general elections, the Pakistan Army had played a key role in ensuring security, which resulted in peaceful elections, including the 2018 elections.
