Army and ISI will have no role in elections: Defence Secretary

ISLAMABAD: Defence Secretary Asif Yasin Malik has informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence that the army and ISI will have no role in the upcoming general elections. Malik added that during the elections the army would only be deployed at sensitive locations to provide security.

During his briefing to the committee, Defence Secretary Malik also dismissed media reports about a US Army Corps of engineers setting up a tactical command and operation centre compound at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.

The secretary told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence chaired by Azra Afzal that the no compound was given to any foreign country at the Karachi airport.

On Tuesday a media report claimed that the US Army Corps of Engineer was permitted to set up a tactical command and operation center to exchange information with Pakistan authorities regarding smuggling activities.