Peshaawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has asked Election Commission (EC) to seek assistance of Pakistan Army in ensuring fool-proof security for re-polling at 365 polling stations of the province on 5th July.
The provincial government would also deploy heavy police contingents at every polling station and also approach EC for increasing the number of polling stations.
These decisions were taken in a high level meeting held at CM House with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak in the Chair.
The meeting was also attended by Provincial Ministers including Muhammad Atif, Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, Shahram Tarakai, Muzaffar Syed Advocate, MPAs, Shaukat Yousafzai, Yaseen Khalil, PTI Provincial Organizer, Fazal Muhammad, Chief Secretary, IG Police, and Secretaries of Home and Local Government departments.
The meeting had a detail review of re-polling arrangements and security situation and took various important decisions regarding smooth and peaceful polling.
According to the decisions provincial government would also approach EC for Army assistance besides deploying at least one hundred police personnel at every polling station.
In order to maintain peace and order at women police stations, assistance of Punjab and Islamabad’s lady police would also be sought and EC would be asked to considerably increase the number of polling stations, the meeting decided.
It was also decided that carrying arms would be prohibited on Election Day under section 144, a security zone would be created within 50 yards perimeter at every polling station and closure of all printing presses of the province would be ensured from 4th till 5th July.
The participants also decided that male supervisors or votes would not be allowed to enter into any women polling station and EC would be asked to properly train the two thousand Lady Health Workers and other polling staff to ensure smooth polling.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said that in view of strong apprehensions for sabotaging the electoral process, the law enforcement agencies must take all possible and strict measures.
He said that although the provincial government would extend every possible support to EC for ensuring free and peaceful polling yet it would strongly recommend EC to obtain assistance of Pakistan Army for maintain peace and order on the Election Day.
He directed Home Department to properly inform EC about provincial government’s position on law and order resources and request the commission to avoid declaring the small schools as polling stations besides taking other steps for avoiding heavy rush of voters inside the polling stations. – APP
