KARACHI, Aug 16: Forty-four thousand personnel of law-enforcement agencies will be deployed on Thursday at 3,400 polling stations across the city so the local body elections could be held in a peaceful atmosphere.

Besides the deployment, patrolling by the LEA personnel on 600 mobile vans, 500 motorcycles would be carried out.

The police would also install 300 surveillance cameras in and around polling stations while 500 mobile phones with two-digit special numbers and almost 1,000 walkie-talkies would be distributed among police officers for quick communication.

Eighteen complaint centres of Madadgar 15, one each in every town, would be established where Quick Response Forces (QRF) would be ready to act swiftly on complaints.

The QRF with 10 mobile vans and five motorcycles would be ready to act swiftly at each complaint centre.

The police have declared 492 places as “trouble spots” in view of the past trends on polling days there.

According to police statistics, seven such spots are in Clifton Town, 41 in Jamshed, six in Keamari, 25 in Lyari, 26 in Orangi, 31 in Saddar, 21 in SITE, 31 in Bin Qasim, 26 in Gadap, 32 in Gulberg, 26 in Gulshan, 35 in Liaquatabad, 42 in North Nazimabad, 37 in New Karachi, 33 in Baldia Town, 18 in Korangi, 15 in Landhi, 25 in Malir, and 15 in Shah Faisal Town.

Deployment at these spots would be strengthened to maintain a peaceful atmosphere for voters, he said.

About 300 surveillance cameras would also be installed especially at the trouble spots where law and order situation could be deteriorated.

“The deployment will be made on the eve of the polling day,” the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), Tariq Jamil, told Dawn on Tuesday. And, 33,000 police officials would be deployed on the election day, he said.

Among them, 6,000 would be called from interior of the province and 3,000 would be from the Pakistan Qaumi Razakar (PQR).

He said 10,000 Rangers personnel and 1,000 personnel of the Frontier Constabulary would also be in the field for security.

Mr Jamil said that 500 mobile phones had been acquired temporarily and would be distributed among officers so they could stay in touch.

The special number of two-digits had been obtained to have an easy access, he added.