08 October 2004	Friday	22 Shaban 1425

KHAAR, Oct 7: Security has been tightened in and around refugee camps here ahead of the Afghan presidential elections.

The Bajaur political administration has put the agency's security force, Bajaur Levies, on high alert and asked local Afghan residents not to come out of their homes after 9pm.

The administration also deployed Khasadars and levies personnel in the refugee camps to keep watch on elements that might create law and order situation ahead of the election.

A senior official told Dawn on Thursday that arrangements had been finalized to conduct peaceful polling on for the election of Afghan president. Political authorities have also heightened security along the border with Afghanistan, he said, adding that the Bajaur Scouts force had also deployed in the border areas to prevent undesirable elements from entering the agency.

Meanwhile, a representative of Afghan president Hamid Karzai, Haji Shahpur held meetings with the refugee population and appealed them to vote for Karzai during the election. He told this correspondent that majority of the refugees living in the agency had assured support to the incumbent president.