Pak Army troops will deploy QRF for AJK elections under Article 245: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: The military media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday that Pakistan Army will deploy Quick Reaction Force (QRF) for the security of elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) under Article 245, ARY News reported.

The ISPR said that the AJK election commission has requested the Pakistan Army to provide a secure environment during Legislative Assembly’s polls on July 25. It added that the troops will deploy QRF from July 22 to 26 as per Article 245 of the Constitution.

According to the statement, AJK police assisted by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) from other provinces and Civil Armed Forces including Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) will be employed for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the polls.

On July 12, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government will ensure transparent elections in AJK.

READ: RS2 BILLION TO BE SPENT ON HOLDING AJK ELECTIONS 2021

He had said that PM Imran Khan pledged to organise transparent and fair elections in AJK and PTI government guarantees to conduct the polls in a free, fair and impartial manner. The interior minister had said that the government will prove to conduct transparent polls for the first time in history.

Rashed had said that those afraid of facing a defeat are consistently levelling baseless allegations. The opposition parties did not appear whenever they are invited to deliberate on electoral reforms.

Regarding the security arrangements, he said that 7,200 personnel of Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) will be deployed during AJK polls on July 25 following the request of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).