While the debate goes on whether the general elections would be held in time or postponed, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finalized its plan for fair, free and transparent polls. It has announced that the process of delimitation of constituencies in Karachi would continue as directed by the Supreme Court. The ECP has also made it clear that the general elections would be held across the country the same day except for the North Waziristan Agency. Military and paramilitary troops would be deployed only at sensitive polling stations; the provincial authorities could call the army if situation calls for maintaining law and order.
In addition to these measures, the ECP would form 500 monitoring teams to conduct surprise checks to ensure that the polling is going on in line with the rules and regulations. It is encouraging to observe that the ECP is not seeking the postponement of elections on one pretext or the other. It’s recently conducted by-elections has left much to be desired and the Secretary Election Commission has termed them unsatisfactory. The ECP must make sure that the code of conduct for political parties participating in the general elections is strictly complied with.