ISLAMABAD, May 2: In the wake of recent suicide blast in Charsadda that claimed 29 lives, the government has directed all provinces to make foolproof arrangements for the security of candidates and their workers during the campaign for the forthcoming general elections.

“We have sensitised the provincial governments on the issue and they would definitely take necessary steps to ensure safety of the people during electioneering,” Interior Ministry spokesman and National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) Director-General Brig Javed Iqbal Cheema told reporters in a weekly briefing on Wednesday.

He, however, said the major responsibility of security would be on the political parties and their workers to foil any attempt of sabotage during their public meetings.

Responding to a question, the official rejected an impression that the government was considering to impose any ban on holding of public meetings by the political parties and independent candidates in the general elections likely to be held by the end of the current year.

Talking about countrywide protests by the lawyers and opposition parties on the occasion of seventh appearance of the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry before Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), the spokesman said overall law and order situation remained satisfactory in the country except a minor clash in Islamabad.

He accused opposition political workers of provoking police and pelting stone on the security personnel which led to a clash between them in the capital.

About the situation in Balochistan, he said, the law and order situation there was quite satisfactory after the government had announced Rs200 billion development package for the province which remained neglected in the past.

He said some 50 camps of outlaws had been removed in Balochistan. These camps, he said, had become training centres of terrorists.