ISLAMABAD: Although the police personnel were seen guarding the polling stations during general elections, paramilitary forces were mostly nowhere to be seen but they swung into action only after unofficial results started coming.

The reports received from different areas revealed that the returning officers were not handing over Form 45 to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidates’ polling agents due to which the supporters started protesting outside the offices of Returning Officers (ROs). As a result, ROs and DROs called for additional security, and then the personnel of Frontier Constabulary (FC) were deputed.

Along with personnel of FC, a heavy contingent of police was deployed outside the ROs office and ROs issued orders to throw out media persons from their offices.

Results of General Elections 2024: here is what the vote-count suggests so far

The government had deployed over 648,000 security personnel nationwide for general elections. Out of 648,000 security personnel, 137,000 security personnel from army and paramilitary forces and 511,000 police personnel had been deployed for security.

An average of seven to eight security personnel had been deployed at each of the 90,777 polling stations across the country.

Out of 90,777 police stations, 44,026 polling stations had been declared normal, 28,985 sensitive, and 16,766 as highly sensitive.

The law enforcement agencies had deployed over 9,000 security personnel in the federal capital for elections. Over 9,000 security personnel including6,500 personnel of the capital police, 1,000 Frontier Constabulary (FC), and 1,500 Rangers as well as personnel of the Pakistan Army were deployed for elections in three constituencies, NA-46, NA-47, and NA-48.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024