The Interior Ministry has clarified that safety and security of citizens was to be prioritized over the delay in poll results therefore cellular services had to be suspended.
In a statement today, Interior Minister Dr. Gohar Ejaz Khan said terrorist incidents just a day before elections had compelled taking difficult measures like suspension of service to disallow terrorists the means to communicate, coordinate and conduct terrorist operations.
He expressed satisfaction over the peaceful conduct of elections under exceptional security circumstances as hundreds of thousands security personnel had to be deployed in harsh weather within a limited time.
Dr Gohar Ejaz Khan said the country is facing a spike in terrorism and there were credible reports of attacks on law enforcement agencies and civilians by terrorist entities like TTP, Daesh and foreign sponsored militant organizations in Balochistan to shake the confidence of the people and dissuade them from exercising their democratic right.
The Minister said to preclude the possibility of IEDs en route to and from the polling stations in sensitive areas especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, proper Bomb Disposal clearances had to be done which also consumed substantial time and delayed results.
The Minister requested the citizens and political leaders to allow election staff to carry out their duties unhindered and do not cause further delay by blocking roads leading from polling stations to Returning Officers’ offices.
Dr Gohar Ejaz Khan noted with satisfaction that all major political entities are generally satisfied with the results indicating that elections were free and fair.
The Minister said all institutions involved in this historic exercise, especially the Election Commission of Pakistan which had little control of the security situation, deserve acknowledgement and gratitude rather than criticism and denigration.
