Polling began at 8:00 am and closed at 5:00 pm (PST) under tight security across Balochistan on Monday. The overall electioneering process remained peaceful, however, some hand-grenade and bomb blasts reported in a few places in the provincial capital and Kohlu district.
Balochistan government has devised a comprehensive security plan for the day. A total of 58,570 personnel of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) including 28,000 policemen, 22,000 Frontier Corps personnel, 3,500 Federal Levies Force, 5,070 personnel of army have been deployed to ensure free and fair elections in peaceful environment in the province, the Provincial Home Department sources told APP.
As many as 1,350 polling stations were declared as highly sensitive while 1,150 polling stations as sensitive out of 3,457 polling stations. No unpleasant incident was reported from any of these polling stations due to tight security arrangements at these polling stations.
"80 companies of army personnel were deployed at their four 'aviation wings' in different parts of Balochistan. Army would reach the spot through helicopters of Army Aviation Corps for aiding the civil administrations if the needs of their services are required", the sources explained.
The government is providing secured environment to polling staff and ensuring security of polling materials. If anyone tries to disarray the order then the government will take strict action against him in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, ambulances, fire-brigades, doctors, paramedic staff, QESCO, SSGCL and Wasa officials remained alert for emergency services in the provincial capital and other parts of the province.
Besides, law enforcers have been deployed at government installations including grid stations, telephone exchanges, boosters and towers to ensure their security across the province. Police and FC personnel were patrolling all the day on Monday in all districts for maintaining peace in the province.