Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani on Monday called for holding peaceful elections in Balochistan.
He underlined the need for implementation on the security plan chalked out for May 11 polls in Balochistan during a high-level meeting to discuss provincial security plan for the general elections here.
The COAS, who is on an official visit here, reviewed the security measures and deployment of army troops for polls duty in various parts of Balochistan.
Commandant Southern Command Lieutenant General Mohammad Aalam Khatak, Balochistan Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh, Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani, the FC IG, the IG and heads of intelligence agencies attended the meeting.
“Strategy plan devised for the conduct of peaceful polls in Balochistan is apparently well coordinated and integrated,” the COAS said and stressed the need for its implementation accordingly. He urged the participants to ensure that all-out efforts were in place for holding peaceful elections in Balochistan.
Briefing reporters, Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asim Bajwa said deployment of army troops in Balochistan has been completed.
“As many as 60,000 security personnel including 7,000 army troops were deployed on polling duty across the province,” he said, adding that the army had been called in aid of the civil power under Article 245 of the constitution and would provide full assistance to the provincial government in this connection.
Bajwa noted that there was a complete liaison between the security forces and intelligence agencies as quick response force had been prepared to repulse any attack, adding that joint patrolling of personnel of security forces in volatile districts was already in progress.