QUETTA: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has called for holding peaceful elections in Balochistan here on Monday.

He underlined the need for implementation on the security plan chalked out for May 11 polls in the province during a high level meeting to discuss provincial security plan for general elections here.

COAS General Kayani, who is on official visit, reviewed the security measures and deployment of Army troops for polls duty in different parts of Balochistan.

Commandant Southern Command, Lieutenant General Mohammad Aalam Khatak, Chief Secretary Balochistan Babar Yaqoob Fateh, Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durani, IG FC, IG police and heads of intelligence agencies attended the meeting.

“Strategy plan devised for the conduct of peaceful polls in Balochistan is apparently well coordinated and integrated,” said the army chief and stressed the need for its implementation accordingly. He urged the participants to ensure that all-out efforts were in place for holding peaceful elections in the province.

Director General, Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asim Bajwa while briefing the media persons said that deployment of Army troops in Balochistan has been completed.

“As many as 6,0000 security personnel including 7,000 Army troops were deployed on polling duty across the province, he said adding Army has been called in aid of the civil power under the article 245 of the Constitution and would provide full assistance to the provincial government in this connection.

He noted that there was complete liaison between the security forces and intelligence agencies as Quick Response Force is prepared to repulse the attack in well manner. The major general said that joint patrolling of personnel of security forces in the volatile districts was in progress.

Referring assistance of the Army in polls, he recalled that transportation of the ballot papers in 53 Balochistan constituencies have been carried out by military helicopters while same was transported through Army vehicles in rest of the eleven constituencies.

Expressing concern over the incidents of polls relating violence, he said that the integrated efforts of the Army and provincial government averted many acts of saboteurs in the province.

“The joint efforts of Army and civil administration would yield positive results in days to come,” he said.

Bajwa said that due to the security measures put in place in Balochistan, the confidence of voters has been increased. “Contestants who were participating in different constituencies in the province, showed their trust on the security apparatus and transparent conduct of polls in Balochistan,” he maintained.