In order to stop infiltration of militants from neighbouring Afghanistan on May 11, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed authorities to seal the Durand Line on the day, while it also requested the interim government to send back Frontier Constabulary (FC) platoons to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) from other parts of the country.
An ECP spokesman on Tuesday said the election watchdog had directed concerned ministries to close the Durand Line on election-day. “We are taking these steps for maintaining law and order. During election days, Afghan refugees will be confided to their camps,” said ECP Media Director Khursheed Alam. He said the step was taken in pursuance of a meeting held last month that was presided over by the chief election commissioner.
Meanwhile, the commission, on request of the KP government had asked the interim government to send all FC personnel back to their home province. They would be deployed at the border, which divides the tribal and settled areas in KP.
Currently, around 2,253 FC personnel are performing security duties in Karachi, Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan.
KP Chief Secretary Gulam Dastagir has time and against requested the ECP to play its role for deployment of FC troops at borders of tribal regions to control infiltration of militants. Eventually, the commission requested the interim government to send back FC troops to their home province.
According to FC officials, a total of 80 FC platoons are currently present in KP, 35 in Sindh while 140 are assisting the army in military operations in tribal areas. FC personnel are also manning 80 security check posts in Islamabad including the Foreign Office and Capital Development Authority (CDA), while some troops are engaged in providing security to important personalities in Islamabad.
