ISLAMABAD, Oct 5: About nine polling stations in the capital have been declared sensitive, the coordinator, election cell Islamabad, Chaudhry Asghar, told Dawn on Saturday.

He said all the nine polling stations fell in NA-49 constituency, which mostly consists of rural areas.

He was reluctant to give the name of the polling stations which had been declared sensitive, saying that the Capital police had not disclosed the names to them.

He said these polling stations were declared sensitive in the light of the situation during previous elections. He said clashes had been reported in the past at these polling stations between supporters of rival candidates.

“In the rural areas, people cast votes on the basis of Baradari system, therefore such incidents often occur in such areas,” he added.

Close contest is expected between PPP candidate Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and PML-Q candidate Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. No candidate is contesting from MMA’s platform from NA-49 constituency as the alliance has made seat adjustment with the PML-Q.

Mr Asghar said no polling station in NA-48 constituency had been declared sensitive.

Talking about other arrangements, he said the district and sessions judge Islamabad, who is also a district returning officer, would convene a meeting on Monday in which final election arrangements in the capital would be reviewed.

A similar meeting will also be presided over by the chief commissioner Islamabad on Monday.

He said all other arrangements had been finalized at all the 380 polling stations. He said the final result would be announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), however polling station-wise result would be handed over to the polling agents by the relevant returning officers.

About transportation plan, the official said the plan had also been approved by the district returning officer. He said 80 per cent of the required number of vehicles had been acquired for polling duty. He said all transport vehicles would carry polling material and staff alongwith the police squad.

Under the election plan some 380 polling stations have been set up in the capital having 774 polling booths.

Out of the total 384 polling stations, some 189 have been established in NA-48 and 196 in NA-49. Similarly, 380 polling booths have been established in NA-48 and 394 in NA-49.