ECP said it has no plans to suspend internet election day as security.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced as the general elections on February 8th approach that it does not suspend to halt communication and internet services on election day for security reasons.
Sikandar Sultan Raja, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), disregarded the idea, stating that “no proposal for internet shutdown on election day is under consideration.” The declaration was made during a Thursday media briefing following the ECP meeting.
The top electoral body convened a comprehensive meeting to discuss security arrangements and strategies to address any untoward situation on election day, given the dangerous circumstances the nation is currently facing due to a recent spike in terrorist attacks, particularly targeting political parties and their rallies.
Following the discussion, the commission reaffirmed its commitment to holding the elections on schedule and gave the country confidence that it had control over the security situation thanks to the presence of Pakistan Army soldiers and law enforcement.
Elections will take place peacefully on February 8, according to CEC Raja, who also ruled out any plans to sever communications, as has been done in the past as a safety precaution.
“There shouldn’t be a doubt about the conduct of polls on February 8,” he said. In response to a query, the election commissioner stated that in the event of an internet outage, ECP’s Election Management System (EMS) will function offline.
Ahmed Shah, the interim information minister for Sindh, stated that the province has not decided to halt internet and telecom services on February 8.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Shah declared that the province’s caretaker administration was prepared for the election.
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