ECP seeks army deployment for by-polls in three provinces.

LAHORE -- The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sought assistance of the armed forces to conduct by-polls in different constituencies of national and provincial assemblies in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as for both phases of local government polls in Sindh.

In a letter to Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said that in view of the charged political atmosphere and extreme polarisation in the country deployment outside the polling stations during the by-polls for four Punjab Assembly constituencies of Lahore (PP-158, PP-167, PP-168, PP-170), one KP assembly seat (PK-7), and one National Assembly constituency in Sindh (NA-245) might be provided to avoid violence as was witnessed in the recent Karachi by-poll (NA-240) and a clash between two political parties in Lahore (PP-167).

Referring to the support the armed forces had rendered during the general election and local elections in KP and Balochistan, Mr Raja hoped for a similar help in conducting the by-polls and two phases of local government elections in Sindh.

Polling for 20 Punjab Assembly seats is to be held on July 17, for PK-7 on June 26, for NA-245 on July 27 and for two phases of Sindh local polls on June 26 and July 24.

The CEC also wrote to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, hoping that strict action would be taken against the culprits...