SWABI: Election candidates and police officials on Tuesday discussed ways to maintain peace in Swabi district in the run up to the general elections and on the Election Day on July 25.

The meeting was attended by leaders of ANP, PTI, PPP, PML-N, MMA and independents.

Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, DIG Mardan, Swabi police officer Syed Khalid Mehmood Hamdani and other officials also participated.

This was the first meeting of political parties’ leaders and police officials to discuss the issue of security and steps to ensure a peaceful environment in the district.

Police officials told the political leadership that majority of polling stations in the district were sensitive, where extra personnel would be deployed to avoid any unpleasant situation.

The participants pointed out that a person had already been killed in the election campaign in the district and similar incidents were occurred in the local government elections in 2016 and general elections, 2013.

The participants agreed that it was responsibility of the government, contesting candidates, police and other law-enforcement agencies and people to ensure peaceful conduct of elections.

“Keeping in mind the poll-related violence occurred in the past the Swabi has been declared as one of the most sensitive districts and we have taken various security measures in this regard,” said Mr Gandapur.

Admitting that there were genuine security concerns of the leaders, he said the police would uphold neutrality and impartiality while performing their official duty.

On the occasion, DPO Hamdani said keeping in view of the sensitivity of the situation more than 3,000 personnel were needed for poll duty as against the existing 1,300 police personnel the district currently had. “We plan to meet the requirement from other security departments,” he added.

The contesting candidates were urged to keep the political temperature low as it could lead to violence.

The candidates demanded security umbrella for them and ban on display of arms.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2018