HARIPUR: Chief secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and IGP Akhtar Hayat Khan on Tuesday visited different polling stations in Haripur to assess the security measures taken for the Thursday’s election.

On the occasion, district police officer Omar Khan Gandapur briefed the chief secretary and the IGP about the security arrangements for the polls.

Deputy commissioner Mohammad Khan, SP investigations Amjad Hussain Khan and officials of district election commission also attending the briefing.

Mr Chaudhry and Mr Hayat reviewed the security plan, especially the deployment of police force, facilities for voters and related arrangements.

The chief secretary asked the ECP officials and the district administration to ensure the observance of election-related SOPs by the candidates and voters. He said providing facilities to voters was imperative for holding transparent elections.

He asked the district administration to make arrangements of providing potable water and ensure availability of washrooms for voters at all the polling stations.

IGP Akhtar Hayat said his force was fully equipped to ensure the security of both voters and polling staff.

Meanwhile, according to a statement issued from the office of regional police officer Mohammad Ejaz Khan, 15,000 policemen from regular police, Frontier Reserve Police, Elite Force, Bomb Disposal Squad, Canine Unit, Special Branch, CTD, policewomen and ministerial staff would remain deployed for the security of 2,862 polling stations across Hazara division, where a total of 392 polling stations have been declared as the most sensitive and 982 sensitive.

According to break-up of the polling stations, Battagram has the highest 98 polling stations as the most sensitive and 127 sensitive, Mansehra 81 most sensitive and 413 sensitive, Haripur 80 most sensitive and 170 sensitive, Abbottabad 60 most sensitive and 129 sensitive, Torghar 29 most sensitive and 62 sensitive, Lower Kohistan 15 most sensitive and 33 sensitive, Upper Kohistan 17 most sensitive and 24 sensitive and Kolai Palas has 12 most sensitive and 24 sensitive polling stations.

To find your constituency and location of your polling booth, SMS your NIC number (no spaces) to 8300. Once you know your constituency, visit the ECP website here for candidates.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2024