Army soldiers en route to their election duties

Pakistan Army personnel have begun to arrive in key towns around Punjab in order to guarantee a secure and peaceful polling procedure for the general elections scheduled for February 8.

The Punjab Home Department stated that Sheikhupura, Kasur, and Lahore already had troops stationed there.

Furthermore, tomorrow, more troops will arrive in Sargodha, Jhelum, Chakwal, and Mandi Bahauddin.

Armed forces from the garrisons of Lahore, Multan, Okara, Bahawalpur, and Gujranwala were sent in.

The military soldiers will serve as the third echelon of security, stationed outside polling places. During Thursday’s polling, police will provide first-tier protection and civil armed forces second-tier security.

The Punjab Home Department stressed that their primary goal was to keep the peace throughout the elections. The Home Department would guarantee that every district worked closely with the army to guarantee a safe and orderly electoral procedure.

To guarantee electoral openness, the armed forces were being used to support the civilian administration.

In past elections, the Pakistan Army has frequently been used in this manner. The military is frequently there to discourage any violence and give voters confidence. Some, nevertheless, express worries about a possible militarization of the election process.

In addition, the agency was keeping a close eye on all of the province’s election plans. To further improve security and transparency, CCTV cameras may also be installed at important voting places.

It is noteworthy that the Pakistan Army has made a clear commitment to upholding democracy and remaining impartial. Encouraging a fair and peaceful election that is accessible to all eligible voters is still the major priority.

Elections for 297 provincial assembly seats in Punjab and 144 national assembly seats will take place on February 8.

In Punjab, there are 74.2 million registered voters overall, with 34.6 million women and 39.6 million males.

There are 50,900 voting places in Punjab overall. Of those, 14,573 are for males and 14,059 are for women.