Pakistan is gearing up for the general elections on February 8, 2024, amid tight security and heightened political tensions. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared more than half of the polling stations in the country as sensitive or highly sensitive, according to sources.
Out of the total 90,675 polling stations established across the country, 46,065 (over 50%) have been categorized as sensitive, of which 18,437 are highly sensitive. The sensitive polling stations are those where there is a possibility of violence, rigging, or other irregularities, while the highly sensitive ones are those where such incidents are highly likely.
The ECP has assigned the highest number of sensitive and highly sensitive polling stations to Punjab, the most populous province of Pakistan. Out of the 51,244 polling stations in Punjab, 12,580 are sensitive and 6,040 are highly sensitive, leaving only 32,324 as normal. Sindh, the second most populous province, has 6,545 sensitive and 6,524 highly sensitive polling stations out of the total 19,006, meaning that only 5,937 are normal.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the third most populous province, 6,166 polling stations are sensitive and 4,143 are highly sensitive, while 5,388 are normal out of the total 15,697. Balochistan, the least populous but largest province in terms of area, has the lowest proportion of normal polling stations, with only 961 out of the total 5,028, while 2,337 are sensitive and 1,730 are highly sensitive.
The ECP has started the process of transporting ballot papers and election materials to the remote districts of the country under the strict security of the Pakistan Army. The sources said that the delivery of ballot papers and election materials to the far-flung areas will be completed by February 5, while in Rawalpindi, Attock, and Islamabad, it will be completed by February 6². On February 7, the ballot papers and election materials will be handed over to the returning officers and presiding officers.
The ECP has also issued a code of conduct for the media, candidates, political parties, and election observers, which prohibits the use of hate speech, incitement to violence, and violation of secrecy of the ballot. The ECP has also warned that any attempt to influence the election results or disrupt the polling process will be dealt with strictly under the law.