The armed forces would be deployed outside the “most sensitive polling stations” for five days during general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Thursday.

“Pakistan armed forces/civil armed forces shall assist in the provision of a secure environment by deploying in Quick Reaction Force mode and outside selected most sensitive polling stations from Feb 5 to Feb 10 to assist the ECP in conduct of free, fair and transparent elections,” the electoral watchdog said in a notification on Thursday.

Elections are scheduled to be held next month in Pakistan, with human rights watchdog in the country expressing concerns about the lack of a level playing field granted to certain political parties in the run-up to the polls.

It would be held under a transitional government led by interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar.

Earlier this week, the caretaker federal cabinet approved the summary submitted by the interior ministry regarding the deployment of the armed forces during the polls slated for February 8.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the cabinet chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar.

The ministry had moved the summary earlier after the ECP sought over 270,000 army personnel to be deployed across the country to maintain security, and law and order situation.

The civil armed forces, the notification added, would remain deployed at the Printing Corporation of Pakistan and Pakistan Post Foundation — both in Islamabad — from Jan 12 to Feb 8 to make “comprehensive arrangements during the printing, stacking and storage of ballot papers”.

The election commission said the armed and civil armed forces should provide assistance in security during the transportation of ballot papers and election material from printing presses to respective offices of district returning officers.

It added that the armed forces should deploy an adequate number of mobile vigilance teams across all constituencies, forming a “tiered security mechanism” to ensure a secure environment. Police would function as tier-1 responders, followed by civil armed forces at tier-2, and the army at tier-3.

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“Pakistan Armed Forces shall also deploy sufficient number of troops outside selected most sensitive polling stations as per their threat assessment,” it said.

The armed forces should carry out reconnaissance of each constituency from the date of issuance of the notification as per their need.

“The armed forces shall also provide security during transportation of election material from offices of returning officers to polling stations and back, after completion of polling and counting,” the notification said.

Meanwhile, the ECP also issued a code of conduct for the armed forces during polls.

It said that all armed forces personnel to facilitate the ECP in the provision of a secure environment to enable district returning officers (DROs), returning officers (ROs), presiding officers (POs) and polling staff to accomplishment their assigned tasks.

“Remain impartial and neutral throughout the election process in general and during the voting process in particular and shall not act in favour of or against any political party or candidate,” it said.

They would identify suspicious voters for frisking/checking by police personnel before entering the premises of the polling station to ensure that no person can bring with him/her any weapon/explosive or undesirable item inside the polling station.

“Not interfere in any manner whatsoever in the functions of Presiding Officer, Assistant Presiding Officer or Polling Officer,” it said.