The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Wednesday decided to provide five Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel as security guards to every national and provincial assembly candidate in the province until the May 11 elections.
The decision came after caretaker Chief Minister Justice (r) Tariq Pervez chaired an all parties’ conference convened by his government at Chief Minister’s House here to discuss security issues related to elections.
Representatives of almost all parties, including Jamaat-i-Islami, Awami National Party, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Pakistan People’s Party, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Qaumi Watan Party and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf, attended the conference.
Provincial information minister Musarrat Qadeem later told reporters at the Officers’ Mess that the government had asked all parties to hold election meetings in closed streets, compounds or within boundary walls to check entry of suspected persons.“Every party will have to give intimation to the relevant police officials 48 hours before holding any election meeting so that proper security arrangements could be made for it,” she said.
The minister said political parties would also form volunteers groups comprising own workers to facilitate the personnel of law-enforcement agencies in identification of participants so that timely action for thwarting acts of terrorism could be taken.
She said candidates would keep schedule of their visits and public meetings secret and that voters should be invited to such function six to seven hours in advance so that information could not reach
Musarrat said the chief minister had already taken up the issue of the FC platoons’ return to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from different parts of the country with President Asif Zardari, who said he would speak to the relevant authorities to address the issue.
She said the issue had been raised in view of the prevailing delicate law and order situation in the province.
“Participants showed concern over withdrawal of security from political leaders but we told them that the provincial government has nothing to do it and that it has to follow the instructions of the Election Commission of Pakistan in this respect,” she said.
The minister said besides provision of five guards, police of each district would also provide security on need basis and arrange security for candidates.
She said a quick response force would be available in each district to take action in case a need arose, while the army would be on standby.
Musarrat said the meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere in which representatives of political parties gave useful suggestions and agreed to extend full cooperation to the provincial government for the holding of safe, free and fair elections.
When asked about complaints about some key police postings and transfers, she said the government had followed the Election Commission of Pakistan instructions for postings and transfers and had no mala fide intention in this respect.“We will continue holding such meetings with politicians from time to time so that fair, transparent and impartial elections could be held in a peaceful atmosphere,” she said.
Information secretary Azmat Hanif Orakzai and director Shoaibuddin were also present on the occasion.