Army personnel to be deployed at polling stations: ECP

ISLAMABAD: Army personnel would be deployed inside and outside all the polling stations to ensure security during upcoming general election scheduled to be held on July 25.

This was decided in a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan. The meeting was also attended by Secretaries of Ministry of Defence and Interior, four provincial chief secretaries, Inspector Generals of Police, Director General (Military Operations) Additional Chief Secretary FATA, Chief Commissioner Islamabad and Inspector General Police Islamabad.

The Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan briefed the participants of the meeting about the preparations made for the general election 2018.

The meeting, convened to review security arrangements for elections, also decided that foolproof security would be provided during the printing of ballot papers. For this purpose, army personnel would be deployed at Security Printing Press from June 27 to July 25.

Closed-circuit television cameras would be installed at all the sensitive polling stations across the country. It will be responsibility of the provinces to install the close circuit television cameras, the meeting decided.

The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will provide funds for the installation of Close-circuit television cameras at polling stations in FATA areas.

All the District Returning Officers, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, provincial elections commission, regional elections Commissioners, District Election Commissioners and training centers will be provided foolproof security.

It was decided that foolproof security would be provided to political leaders and candidates contesting the elections, for which provinces will make necessary arrangements.

Close coordination would also be maintained with National Counter Terrorism Authority to prevent any untoward incident. A meeting of National Counter Terrorism Authority and Election Commission of Pakistan will also be called in this regard.

The Election Commission of Pakistan will ensure full implementation of code of conduct of the elections. The commission expressed satisfaction over security arrangements so far devised for the general election.

Meanwhile, Election Commission of Pakistan has expressed displeasure over requests of exemptions from election duty by various departments and individuals.

In a statement, the ECP said holding free, fair and transparent elections is a national duty which has to be fulfilled by every one of us. Therefore, no applications for exemptions should be sent to Election Commission of Pakistan.