KHAIRPUR: A base camp will be set up in every taluka of Khairpur district and military personnel will initially patrol selected areas to plan foolproof security to ensure peaceful holding of the general election on July 25, Major Tauheed of the Pakistan Army told a meeting held at the office of the Khairpur deputy commissioner on Tuesday.

The meeting was presided over by Additional Deputy Commiss­ioner-I (ADC-I) Riaz Hussain Wassan.

Major Tauheed said that army personnel would be deployed inside and outside of polling stations and monitoring of security situation at the polling stations declared ‘most sensitive’ and ‘sensitive’ would be done through closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras. “The Quick Action Force (QAF) of the army will also remain on alert to deal with any untoward incident,” he added.

DEC notes 788 out of 880 polling stations declared ‘most sensitive’, rest all ‘sensitive’

Khairpur SSP Fida Hussain Mastoi told the meeting that the district police had already evolved a security plan under which 81 police contingents would be deployed at polling stations across the district. He said that 180 police officers and subordinate personnel would be at the disposal of the district returning officer and returning officers.

“A separate mechanism has been evolved for the safe transportation of polling material and staff,” he said, adding that Rangers’ help would be sought for the monitoring of situation in the far-flung areas through CCTV cameras.

The SSP informed the meeting patrolling would be done by police personnel by mobile vans and motorbikes on polling day. Extra police pickets would be set up in certain areas. Personnel of the police reser­ves would also remain present, he added.

The SSP also briefed the meeting about the candidates of the three National Assembly and seven Sindh Assembly seats of the district.

District Election Commissioner (DEC) Niaz Ahmed informed the meeting that the training of designated officers and staff would be completed by July 15. He noted that 788 out of the 880 polling stations in district Khairpur had been declared ‘most sensitive’ and the rest ‘sensitive’.

ADC-I Riaz Wassan said that the top priority for the district administration and its partnering security forces and institutions was to ensure holding of free, fair and peaceful elections. He acknowledged that deployment of army as per the relevant directives of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would help achieve the objective.

He directed the revenue, works and services, building and other departments concerned as well as the municipality to complete their development/maintenance work well ahead of polling day.

Others who attended the meeting included City ASP Rai Mazhar Iqbal, Rangers officer Major Azhar, assistant commissioners of all eight talukas of the district and senior officials of the departments concerned.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2018