SWABI: The election commission has started training about 5,500 electoral staff, majority of them teachers, for the upcoming polls in Swabi district, it is learnt.

Local election officials told Dawn that the training was started in Swabi, Topi, Chota Lahor and Razaar tehsils on April 23 and would continue till May 8.

They said the second phase of the training would begin soon after Eidul Fitr, adding there would be no training sessions in Ramazan because of hot summer.

The ECP officials said in the first phase assistance presiding officers and polling officers were getting training, while in the second phase, presiding officers would get trained. They said of the total electoral staff, 2,400 were women.

CARETAKER SET-UP SOUGHT: Awami National Party leader Zar Shaid has demanded early formation of the caretaker government.

Speaking at a public meeting here the other day, he said it was responsibility of the incumbent government and opposition parties to strike a consensus on formation of the caretaker set-up to ensure that elections were held on time.

“The upcoming election is critical from all aspects and we hope that all requirements for ensuring a transplant election would be fulfilled,” he said.

MOCK EXERCISE: The district police conducted a mock operation in Women University Swabi and district headquarters offices the other day.

Talking to reporters on the occasion, Swabi DSP Saif Ali Khan said the objective of the exercise was to keep alert all the departments and prepare the police force to deal with any eventuality readily and effectively.

He said the police had taken extraordinary steps for security of key installations, including educational institutions.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2018