Govt approves army, civil armed forces deployment for Nov 23 by-polls

• Forces to remain deployed from November 22 to 24.
• Armed forces empowered under Anti-Terrorism Act.
• By-elections scheduled for six NA, seven Punjab seats.
  

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior on Friday approved the deployment of the Pakistan Army and the civil armed forces for the by-elections scheduled for November 23.

In its order, the ministry stated that the deployment was approved at the request of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The civil armed forces will be deployed as second-tier responders, with the status of standby/quick reaction force mode only, the ministry added.

The Pakistan Army will be deployed as the "third-tier responders (in-situ Quick Reaction Force Mode)".

The interior ministry stated that the deployment of the armed forces aimed to support the ECP in ensuring the "peaceful conduct of the by-elections to be held on November 23, 2025".

The ministry said that the troops have been "empowered by [the] Federal Government to exercise the powers under Section 4 and 5 of [the] Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 for the duration of employment".

ECP is set to hold by-elections for as many as six National Assembly seats and seven provincial seats of Punjab.

The development came a day after the ECP took notice of remarks made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi during a political gathering.

The ECP, in letters to secretaries of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior on Thursday, stated that CM Afridi "threatened" district administration, police officers, and ECP officials ahead of the by-election in Haripur.

"Regrettably, he [KP CM] used offensive language which amounts to harassing and unduly influencing them which may prevent them [officials] from effective performance of their duties," the letter reads.

Hours after the letters, the KP chief minister said his remarks had been "taken out of context".

"I was not campaigning for anybody. I said yesterday that there should be no rigging," he added.

Meanwhile, the ECP notified a multi-tier deployment of the Pakistan Army, civil armed forces, and local police for the by-elections, delegating first-class magistrate powers to the designated military and civil officers.

The powers will enable the officials to take action in case of any violation, emergency situation, or criminal act.

According to the notification, the forces will remain deployed from November 22 to 24, with the Pakistan Army and civil armed forces in standby/response mode.

The ECP stated that Rangers have been authorised to perform duties as immediate response units.