GIVE ME PEACE AND I’LL GIVE YOU FAIR POLLS

Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ebrahim on Thursday said that holding free‚ fair and impartial elections was impossible without establishing peace and maintaining law and order in the country.

Chairing a meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan‚ Ebrahim said free and impartial elections in the country was the responsibility of the Election Commission‚ however‚ maintaining law and order was the sole responsibility of the caretaker government.

He said the Supreme Court also stressed on the need for peaceful environment in the country for polls. The CEC urged the caretaker federal and provincial governments to ensure law and order.

In the meeting, the ECP reviewed the election preparations, including security situation and printing of ballot papers. Three members and the ECP secretary attended the meeting.

Reacting to a news item published in a section of press claiming that the National Crises Management Cell was presently working under the Ministry of Interior and was being put at the disposal of the ECP‚ the commission said it was well-settled that maintenance of law and order was the responsibility of government.

Referring to Supreme Court’s order of April 30‚ it said the order and provision of security during an election was the responsibility of the executive and such responsibility could not be entrusted to the ECP.

The commission also observed that all executive authorities in the federation and provinces were under obligation to provide assistance to the ECP, including provision of adequate security at the polling stations for the peaceful conduct of national elections being held on May 11.

Later briefing reporters on the decisions taken in the ECP meeting, ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan said the commission decided to direct the government not to shut CNG stations for three days, from May 10 to 12, to facilitate voters and elections staff.

Khan said the commission finalised the polling scheme for May 11 elections. He said voters could text their CNIC numbers to 8300 on May 6 to obtain details of their polling stations.

The secretary further said that mobile phones services would not be suspended on election day, adding that security was the responsibility of the government.

“The ECP hopes that the security plans discussed with the government for candidates and polling stations will be followed,” he said.

To a query, he said the ECP was still awaiting a written order from the Supreme Court to give overseas Pakistanis the facility to vote in the upcoming elections.