Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Monday requested the Army to provide security for upcoming local bodies and by-elections, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

According to sources, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja sent a letter to Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

In which request has been made to provide security for Sindh local body elections, 20 constituencies of Punjab, NA-245 Karachi, PK-7 Swat by-elections.

In the letter, the Chief Election Commissioner appreciated the cooperation of the Pakistan Army in the last elections and said that Pakistan Army played an exemplary role in the most sensitive polling stations in the by-elections and local body elections including the last general elections.

In the recent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan local body elections, the Pakistan Army also provided security services in an efficient manner.

In this regard, the sources further said that the letter sent by Sikandar Sultan Raja said that it is hoped that the Pakistan Army will perform its services in the best possible way in the forthcoming by-elections and local body elections.

In view of the unrest and violent incidents in the Karachi and Lahore by-elections, the services of the Pakistan Army are being sought.

Sindh local body phase is scheduled for June 26, by-elections in PK-7 Swat are scheduled for June 26 and by-elections in 20 constituencies of Punjab are scheduled for July 17.

The second phase of Sindh local body elections is scheduled for July 24 and NA-245 Karachi by-elections are scheduled for July 27.

The Chief Election Commissioner also wrote a letter to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah regarding Sindh local body elections and NA-245 Karachi by-elections.

The letter directed immediate action on the incidents of unrest, firing and ballot box snatching in the recent by-elections of NA-240.