RAWALPINDI: Voters as well as the polling staff expressed satisfaction over security arrangements put in placefor polling in the garrison city, while the Regional Police Officer (RPO) and City Police Officer (CPO) visited polling stations in the division and garrison city to review security arrangements.

Regional Police Officer Syed Khurram Ali and Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Ali Chatta reviewed the security arrangementin Attock district.

On the other hand, City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani conducted thorough inspection of various polling stations, camp offices and pickets on Thursday. The CPO reviewed the security arrangements at sensitive polling stations and also interacted with police personnel present at the polling stations issuing.

The CPO instructed them to take legal action against the people violating ban on display of weapons. The CPO carried out the inspection of security arrangements thrice on the polling day.

Under the security plan, 12,783 police officials and 4,390 military and paramilitary personnel were deployed to assist the police in proving security to 5,490 polling stations across the Rawalpindi division.

In Rawalpindi district alone a total of 9,200 police personnel were deployed to ensure foolproof security during the general election.

The police had categorized 580 polling stations as highly sensitive as CCTV cameras had been installed at all of the sensitive polling stations. As part of the security arrangements, nine police pickets, including joint check posts of army and police had been set up at entry and exit points of the city.

Besides the voters, the polling staff expressed their satisfaction over the security arrangements and attitude of the police personnel deployed at the polling stations.

A female returning officer at a polling station said that the police personnel deployed at the polling station are very cooperative.

Police officials deployed at polling stations were seen helping the voters, especially elderly female voters.

A 90-year-old woman commended a policeman who helped her cast her vote.

The City Traffic Police deployed more than 1,236 traffic police staff to keep the traffic flow smooth and kept an emergency squad on a stand-by .

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2024