October 10, 2002	Thursday	Sha’aban 3, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 9: The chief election commissioner of Pakistan, Irshad Hasan Khan, has expressed his satisfaction over the arrangements made by the local judiciary and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration for conducting elections.

Mr Khan on Wednesday visited five polling stations in the capital and inspected the arrangements. He was accompanied by the chief commissioner, deputy commissioner, SSP Islamabad, ADC(G), coordinator election cell, besides international observers from the European Union and BBC.

The chief election commissioner visited polling stations set up at Federal Government College for Women F-7/2, Federal Government Boys Comprehensive School G-7/2, Federal Government Boys Model School G-7/4, where two polling stations have been established, and Federal Government Boys Higher Secondary School, G-6/2.

Mr Khan also visited the central election control cell at Islamabad Model College for Boys (IMCB) F-8/4. He inspected the control cell, specially the main hall where separate counters have been set up for receiving polling material and also for the declaration of results after the conclusion of polling. He was also apprised about the compilation system of computerized results in the control cell.

Earlier, over 2,000 polling staff on Wednesday received polling material from the election control room established jointly by the local judiciary and ICT administration.

Some 300 vehicles, including buses and wagons, were impounded for transportation of polling staff. Over 1,000 ballot boxes, stamps, pencils, papers and other material was handed over to the presiding officers.

The coordinator election cell, Chaudhry Asghar, told Dawn that more than 300 vehicles were used for transporting polling staff and material to be used during the elections.

About payment of transportation charges, he said it had not yet been decided as to what would be the charges for hiring vehicles for election duty.

Responding to a question about the total number of polling staff appointed from various educational institutions, he said some 2,100 teachers had been engaged and some 400 polling staff would remain on stand-by.

He said about 1,000 teachers would perform their duties at the 185 polling stations set up in NA-48 constituency and 1,060 had been deputed at 195 polling stations in NA-49 constituency.

The official said the polling agents to be nominated by the candidates had obtained approval from the relevant returning officers to sit in the polling stations.

“Special cards have been issued to the polling agents to have access into the polling stations,” he added.

The secretary, election cell said each polling station would cover 1,000 voters. He said under the instructions of the Election Commission of Pakistan, polling stations and polling booths had been set up in government buildings.

Mr Asghar said it was quite difficult to get a government building at a suitable place for polling in remote areas of the capital. However, there was no such problem in the urban area.