The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Islamabad, to prepare and submit a comprehensive contingency plan for deploying law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) at polling stations for the long-delayed local government (LG) elections in the federal capital on December 20.
The ECP issued the directives for implementation "in letter and spirit" ahead of the polls to install a local government system in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), whose term expired in February 2021. The commission emphasized that the primary objective is to ensure a smooth and transparent electoral process.
"To make sure that sufficient strength of police force is deployed at the polling stations for smooth conduct of the polling process and to pre-empt and prevent any untoward incidents, including foreseeable violence on the poll day, a contingency plan must be prepared and submitted," the commission stated in its official directive.
The ECP also directed the police to provide complete security to the District Returning Officer (DRO) and Returning Officers (ROs) and their offices before, during, and after the polling day. Security is also to be ensured during the receipt of ballot papers, bulk-breaking, and the transportation of polling staff and election material to and from the ROs' offices.
The commission further asked the police to extend necessary support to the District Monitoring Officer (DMO) and DRO in implementing the code of conduct, and to provide any other assistance the DRO and ROs may require under the Elections Act, 2017 and the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015.
It called for prompt action against those violating any provision of the two laws and said anyone destroying polling material or threatening polling staff on duty must be dealt with "unsparingly." The ECP warned that any lapse or laxity in implementing the directives would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Furthermore, the commission noted that proceedings under Section 55 of the Elections Act would be initiated against those found responsible for any security failures. The ECP remains committed to upholding the sanctity of the vote through rigorous oversight and coordination with law enforcement.
The commission has already issued the election programme for the ICT local government polls, officially fixing December 20 as the polling day. All stakeholders have been urged to cooperate fully with the security apparatus to ensure a peaceful environment for the voters.
The upcoming elections are viewed as a critical step toward restoring grassroots democracy in the federal capital. The ECP expects the police force to maintain a high state of vigilance throughout the election cycle to prevent any disruption to the democratic process.
As the date approaches, the ECP continues to monitor the preparations closely, ensuring that all logistical and security arrangements are finalized well in advance to avoid any last-minute complications or administrative hurdles.