ISLAMABAD: The government has deployed over 648,000 security personnel nationwide to ensure the safety of voters, as well as, fair and transparent general elections to be held on February 8, said caretaker Interior Minister Dr Gohar Ejaz on Tuesday.
Ejaz while addressing a press conference flanked by caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi said that the government has completed all arrangements for holding safe, fair, and transparent elections. “Out of 648,000 security personnel, 137,000 security personnel from army and paramilitary force and 511,000 police personnel will form duties during the elections,” the minister said.
The interior minister said that an average of seven to eight security personnel would be 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 are sensitive, and 16,766 highly sensitive, he said, adding that we have a three-tier security system for elections.
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He said that in the first tier, the police will perform the duty; in the next civil armed forces and in the third tier will have armed forces. He further said that out of 44,026 polling stations, 3,121 polling stations in Punjab, 6,676 in Sindh, 5,662 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 916 in Balochistan, and 551 polling stations in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) have been declared normal. “Normal polling station does not mean that there will be no deployment of forces,” he said.
Similarly, the 28,985 polling stations declared sensitive include 14,066 in Punjab province, 8,030 in Sindh, 5,497 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 2,037 in Balochistan, and 135 in ICT. Out of 16,766 highly sensitive polling stations across the country, 5,621 are in Punjab, 4,430 in Sindh, 4,265 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 2,113 in Balochistan and 304 in ICT, he said.
To a question about the suspension of internet service on February 8, he said that so far no decision has been made in this regard. However, he said that the government would consider suspending the internet services on February 8 only if it receives a request from a district or province.
The minister said that 666 people had lost lives during general elections 2018 across the country during various incidents. However, he said that the government has decided to use all available resources to hold peaceful elections on February 8.
The minister said that a special aerial Quick Reaction Force (QRF) has also been established, aimed at responding promptly in case of any untoward incident, especially in Balochistan province. He further said that CCTV cameras and other modern technology have been utilised to ensure peace during the elections.
The Ministry of Interior has set up a national crisis information management system that will monitor activities of elections round the clock, he said.
He urged the nation to cast vote honestly on February 8, adding casting vote is the right of every citizen.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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