ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim said on Thursday that armed military personnel would be deployed at polling stations in Karachi and they would remain there till the counting of votes.

The decision was taken at a meeting the CEC held with representatives of 13 opposition parties to discuss their charter of demands.

Briefing reporters, ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmad Khan said the commission had accepted the demand for deployment of one armed military man at each polling station of Karachi. “It has been discussed with the defence secretary and will be ensured during the upcoming elections,” he remarked.

He said polling stations had been captured in the past, bogus votes cast and presiding officers stopped from performing their duty but it would not be possible this time.