A Pakistan army soldier stands guard as Kashmiri women line up at a polling station before casting their vote in the AJK elections in Muzaffarabad on July 21, 2016. Photo: AFP

 

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued an order on Thursday for the deployment of army troops at the polling stations in the upcoming NA-120 by-election.

The ECP wrote a letter to the Ministry of Defence, directing that army troops be deployed inside and outside the polling stations falling in the Lahore constituency.

The troops are to perform their duties until the end of the polling time, the ECP further stated in the letter.

Earlier, the NA-120 Returning Officer had also requested the deployment of army troops for the by-poll which is scheduled to be held on September 17, 2017.

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The parliamentary seat had fallen vacant after Nawaz Sharif was disqualified under Article 62 of the Constitution in the Panama Papers case by the Supreme Court. Nawaz's wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, filed her nomination papers for the seat and is the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Pakistan Peoples? Party challenged the candidacy of Begum Nawaz?s nomination papers on the grounds that she did not disclose her financial assets, including details of her Iqama (UAE work permit).

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The Lahore High Court Appellate Tribunal, on August 21, rejected all appeals filed against the nomination papers of PML-N candidate Begum Nawaz for the NA-120 by-poll.

The contest is said to be an electoral popularity test for the ruling party following the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif.