PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker Chief Minister retired Justice Dost Mohammad Khan on Monday directed the Hazara division administration to maintain law and order in the region to guarantee holding of free and fair general elections on July 25.

A statement issued here said that Justice Dost issued the orders while chairing a meeting in Abbottabad. During his visit to the district, the caretaker CM was briefed by the commissioner Hazra division Amjad Ali Khan about the arrangements for the elections.

Also read: Hazaras, hope and the challenge for running candidates

Police and administrative officials were also present on the occasion. The statement said Justice Dost reviewed the poll arrangements in the Hazara division and said that all the stakeholders should ensure free, fair and transparent elections as perthe constitution.

The caretaker chief minister directed the administrative and police officers to ensure transportation of security personnel to the far-flung areas of the division. He said they could even make locally available transport facility for the transportation of police personnel for onward deployment in the otherwise inaccessible and far-flung areas of the division for the poll duty.

He appreciated the polling and security arrangements in the division, saying that the administration and the police had a shared responsibility for the transparent and fair holding of elections.

Justice Dost said he had requested for repatriation of 80 per cent of Frontier Constabularyback to the province for ensuring peaceful and secure conduct of elections. He said he would request the government of Gilgit-Baltistan to check any infiltration of any unwanted element into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The caretaker CM called upon the public servants to stay focused on their responsibilities and not become a party in the elections. He will approach the relevant quarters for taking legal action against anyone committing violations of the election code of conduct, he warned.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2018