RAWALPINDI: Deployment of army at the polling stations during the cantonment board elections on Saturday provided some relief to the policemen.

The polling, however, had to be stopped briefly at four different polling stations over minor issues.

At the polling station 3, Ward 8, the voters created a scene when they found their names missing from the voters list.

Similarly, at Dhoke Charaghdeen, Ward 2, the supporters of a candidate objected to canvassing by the rival candidate.

In Qasimabad, two policemen and a policewoman were seen taking tea and biscuits provided by the candidates while the army personnel were checking CNICs of voters and media personal inside the polling stations.

Election Commission had provided a list of the newsmen to the army who allowed the journalists holding security passes issued by the government.

In Jhanda Chi Chi too armymen were deployed at the entrance of the polling stations who kept a vigil on the voters until they walked out of the polling booth.

The voters were allowed to enter the polling station after body search with detectors, brief questioning and a look on the NIC.

Except for presiding officers, no polling staff was allowed to keep cell phones.

A female presiding officer at Quaid-i-Azam model college Chaklala told Dawn that polling for the cantonment board elections were in a peaceful manner.

“Everything regarding security is okay. Now the voting is going on in a comfortable manner as there was no disturbance,” she said.

Fazeel Uddin Fraz, presiding officer at polling station of Ward 8 Dehri Hassanabad, told Dawn that security arrangements had been nice as troops were deployed for the first time during cantonment board elections. 

“There was one policeman deployed to maintain peace during elections 2008, whereas army has been deployed now which made the elections more peaceful,” he said.

Special Branch had declared more than 70 polling stations as more sensitive.

Besides the troops, hundreds of policemen – especially trained by the police experts for election duties had been deployed at 431 polling stations to maintain law and order during polls.

Of the 431 polling stations, 27 had been categorized as ‘A’ more sensitive, 96 polling stations were placed in category ‘B’ sensitive while the 308 were categorized as ‘C’ less vulnerable to violence or trouble.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2015

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