The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has denounced the report published in a section of press wherein an official of a political party has blamed Rangers and the ECP for their defeat in PS-59 Badin.
It clarified that under Article 218(3) of the constitution, it is the duty of the Election Commission of Pakistan to organise and conduct elections and to make such arrangements as are necessary to conduct elections honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the law and that corrupt practices are guarded against.
The ECP appreciated the role of Sindh Rangers, being a non-political force, for peaceful conduct of elections in the said constituency. The Rangers deployment was not made for the first time in Sindh but in numerous elections it has been precedence that wherever the ECP considered that there was a need to hold free, fair and peaceful election, the services of Pakistan Army, Rangers and FC were requisitioned in the past in all the four provinces.
In by-election in NA-254 Karachi and subsequent bye-elections in Sindh province, Sindh Rangers were deployed by the ECP through the ministry of interior. Even for local government elections, the Rangers were deployed as second and third tier responder to maintain law and order in all phases in Sindh province, it maintained.
