Army To Be Deployed For 'Free, Fair, and Peaceful' Polls 

'The troops will perform duties in sensitive constituencies and polling stations and will also act as a rapid response force.'

Army To Be Deployed For 'Free, Fair, and Peaceful' Polls 

The caretaker federal cabinet approved a summary on Tuesday seeking the deployment of the Pakistan Army and civil armed forces personnel to assist civil institutions in holding free, fair, and peaceful general elections scheduled for February 8.

The development occurred during a federal cabinet meeting chaired by interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar.

"The troops will perform duties in sensitive constituencies and polling stations and will also act as a rapid response force," according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

On the proposal of the Ministry of Interior, the federal cabinet unanimously approved the deployment of Pakistan Army and civil armed forces personnel at sensitive polling locations around the country during the upcoming general elections.

Speaking on the occasion, the interim prime minister praised Caretaker Finance Minister Dr. Shamshad Akhtar's efforts to increase tax income in the country, improve the tax-to-GDP ratio, and make specific proposals for the Federal Board of Income's administrative structure.

He reaffirmed that the administration supports ideas for FBR reform.

PM Kakar also directed the formation of an inter-ministerial group under the supervision of the finance minister in light of cabinet members' views on the FBR reforms.

The cabinet approved the formation of a search committee to nominate the vice chancellor of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University Islamabad based on the Ministry of National Health's suggestion.

The huddle also endorsed decisions reached during the Economic Coordination Committee meeting on the 9th of this month.