LAHORE: Caretaker Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari says the best possible security arrangements will be ensured on the polling day and leading political leaders provided box security.

Addressing a meeting at the Circuit House, Faisalabad, to review security arrangements for the general election, the chief minister said the best possible arrangements would be made to provide a peaceful atmosphere to the people on election day.

“The observance of code of conduct for transparent and neutral elections is imperative and consultation process with the political parties and candidates will continue with regard to its implementation,” a handout quoted the chief minister as having said.

He said the mechanism of digital monitoring of more than 14,000 polling stations set up in Sargodha, Sahiwal, and Faisalabad divisions had been devised and close monitoring would be done through CCTVs. He said incidents of aerial firing and fireworks would not be tolerated during the election campaign or on election day.

Dr Askari said necessary steps would be taken for the convenience of the voters and polling staff. Provision of physical infrastructure should be ensured on a priority basis at the polling stations and the relevant officers should examine the standard of facilities by visiting these, he added.

Earlier, the commissioners and RPOs of Faisalabad, Sahiwal and Sargodha divisions gave detailed briefings on election-related arrangements and law and order situation to the chief minister. It was informed that necessary arrangements had been completed at 1,800 sensitive polling stations of three divisions.

Provincial ministers Zia Haider Rizvi, Shaukat Javed, Secretary to CM and other senior officers attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2018