Opposition shows reservations over military deployments in KP elections

ISLAMABAD: Opposition leaders have expressed reservations over the deployment of military troops for monitoring of the upcoming elections in the tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported on Friday.

The reservations were showed in a letter sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that had decided to deploy military troops during the election process besides awarding magisterial authorities.

The letter stated that the special rights to the military troops will affect voters’ rights to cast their votes in a free environment. It added that the commission had not taken all political parties into confidence before taking the decision.

The opposition parties have demanded ECP to review its decision in the letter, a copy of which obtained by ARY News, signed by Rehbar Committee formed after the all parties conference (APC).

Earlier on May 9, the Election Commission of Pakistan had started the process of receiving nomination papers from the candidates for elections on 16 seats of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly in tribal districts.

As per the election schedule, the candidates can submit their nomination papers with the returning officers till Saturday (May 11).

The polling had been scheduled to be held on July 2 but it was postponed after the formal request of the government citing the threat of terrorist attacks from across the border.

Later on June 12, ECP had unveiled new schedule of the election in the newly-merged tribal districts which was fixed on July 20.