CEC urges Baloch leaders to bring change through ballot

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim on Thursday called upon Baloch nationalist leaders to participate in general elections for bringing change through ballot.

He said this in a meeting with Baloch nationalist and other party leaders in Quetta. Leaders of more than 13 political and nationalist parties met the CEC to discuss the upcoming polls.

Ebrahim said his top priority was to hold transparent election for bringing real representatives of the people to the assembly.

He said the fate of Balochistan must be changed with ballot.

The CEC said it was unfortunate that most of the political parties did not participate in the general elections in 2008, which was why all assembly members remained ministers.

He said that the objectives of their visit were to remove their apprehension so that the election could take place in peaceful atmosphere.

The CEC urged nationalists to participate in the polls and said political leaders should bring change through ballot, not bullet. He assured them of redressing their reservations, adding that special security measures would be adopted in the province.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians‚ PML-N‚ Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf‚ Jamaat-e-Islami‚ Awami National Party, PML-Q, National Party‚ Balochistan National Party-Awami‚ Balochistan National Party-Mengal‚ Hazara Democratic Party‚ Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party‚ JUI-F‚ JUI-Nazriati and others.

Accompanied by all four ECP members, the CEC chaired a meeting of senior officials wherein the Balochistan chief secretary gave a briefing on prevailing security situation in the province.

On the occasion, senior officials of law enforcement agencies, including police and FC, briefed the participants on security arrangements planned for the forthcoming general elections.

The chief secretary said the FC and the army would remain posted in Balochistan during the election and assured that the provincial government would remain impartial though out the electoral process.

The CEC directed for better arrangements to conduct polls across Balochistan, particularly in Dera Bugti and Kohlu districts in an orderly manner.

Earlier, the CEC held a meeting with the caretaker Chief Minister Nawab Ghous Barozai and discussed various issues, including the law and order.

Barozai assured the CEC that he would do his utmost to remove the reservations of Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Chief Akhtar Mengal.

He informed Ebrahim that the army could be deployed in any part of the province if need be during the polls.

Following the meetings, ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed said almost all political parties were participating in the elections.

“Akhtar Mengal, despite having reservations, has reposed confidence in the ECP and decided to contest the election, which is a good omen for Balochistan.”

Ishtiaq said on the recommendations given by the leaders of Baloch political parties, the CEC in principal agreed to give two days extension for the submission of nomination forms. However, he said announcement in this regard would be made with consultation of other members of the commission.

He dispelled the impression that holding elections in Balochistan was a difficult task. “Law and order in the province is not as grim as being portrayed.”