PESHAWAR: Secretary Election Commission Omar Hameed Khan urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government to beef up security for the Local Government (LG) re-polling in 12 districts of the province on 13 May.
Addressing the meeting to review arrangements for re-polling and by-elections on February 13 at the KP Chief Secretary office, he asked the police to beef up security of sensitive polling stations, ensure the installation of CCTV cameras in more polling stations and increase the number of other security personnel.
Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Shehzad Khan Bangash, Additional Inspector General of Police, Secretary Establishment, Secretary Home, Secretary Local Government and army officials participated in the meeting.
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“We are committed to ensure free and fair elections. We must ensure that the people, voters, candidates and political parties are provided level playing field during the election process,” the secretary ECP said. He further said that in the first phase of KP elections, unfortunate incidents had taken place at polling stations in some districts, due to which polling was stopped. Now re-polling will take place on constituencies in 12 districts including Peshawar, Nowshera, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, DI Khan, Buner and Bajaur. A total of 528 polling stations have been established for this purpose.
The ECP official further instructed that proper security arrangements should be made for the election staff, especially women staff, distribution of materials and transportation and get the services of the Army and Frontier Corps where needed. He asked for significant security arrangements in the offices of DROs and ROs while compiling the results.
Regarding security, the Additional Inspector General of Police while briefing the meeting said that Security has been beefed up at sensitive, most sensitive and normal polling stations. He said that the shortfall of security men will be met from reserve squads and other districts where elections are not taking place, where needed. He assured that full security arrangements have been finalised in collaboration with local administration.
Chief Secretary Dr Shehzad Bangash assured the Secretary Election Commission that appropriate arrangements have been made for the re-polling and the instructions of the Election Commission will be fully implemented.