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| October 4, 2005 | Tuesday | Sha’aban 29, 1426 |
CM directs effective patrolling by police: Law and order on polling day
PESHAWAR, Oct 3: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has directed that honest and efficient police officers not below the rank of SP and DSP should be deployed to cover and manage the smooth conduct of the third phase of local body elections on Oct 6.
Similar deployment should be made during entry test for admission to medical colleges throughout the province on October 4, 2005, he directed.
He was presiding over a meeting on law and order at the CM secretariat on Monday.
The chief minister said that both the events carried special significance and posed a challenge to the law-enforcing agencies.
The law-enforcing agencies should be sensitized to make both the events a success. Each polling station in Peshawar should have a SP to head security cover. In small districts, at least a DSP should oversee the security arrangements.
He said the deployment of forces should be made through efficient management. There should be internal arrangements to cover the shortage of personnel. He directed strict observance of rules and regulations.
He said the visible writ of the government would prove to be deterrence. Neither the government would meddle in the polling process nor would it allow anybody to influence the exercise.
There should be a disciplined queue by voters with visible identity to exercise their right. No unconcerned person should wander on the premises of the polling stations.
Only the candidates can visit the polling stations alone. He advised all to avoid bickering that sometimes degenerated into fighting.
He said there should be toleration and accommodation in politics. Peace should not be disturbed. Meetings of candidates should be convened in which they should be advised to show restraint on the polling day.
In contests, winning and losing is part of the game, and this should be accepted as such. “The government impartiality is there and that should be maintained at all levels so that nobody could point the accusing finger at the government,” he said.
He directed that in his home district, not even his family members should visit the polling stations.
The meeting was told that the Chief Election Commissioner and Chief Justice had appreciated the peaceful and transparent conduct of elections in the first two phases of elections and the credit went to the NWFP government.
Mr Durrani told the meeting that because of the absence of Punjab chief minister, who is the president of Kabaddi Federation, he visited Bannu and distributed prizes among the winners of Kabaddi competition and later participated in the anniversary of former provincial minister, Atta Ullah Khan. He claimed that despite requests he had declined to visit various districts and told party workers that he would be coming to their areas after Oct 6.
He also directed that mobile phones should not be allowed on the premises of polling stations. Only officers having strong nerves to handle any eventuality and to defy political influence should be deployed, Mr Durrani told the meeting. Chief Secretary of NWFP Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, Secretary Home and IGP Riffat Pasha were prominent among those who attended the meeting.
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