All Set For General Elections 2024; Tight Security Arrangements Finalized In Rwp Division

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Feb, 2024) All arrangements have been finalized in Rawalpindi division including Murree, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal districts for general elections 2024, scheduled to be held on February 8, Thursday while foolproof security have also been put in place for free, fair and transparent election.

Rawalpindi Region Police have finalized all the arrangements and more than 16,500 police and other law enforcement agencies personnel would perform security duties on the occasion.

5,490 polling stations have been established in 13 constituencies of the National Assembly and 26 constituencies of the Provincial Assembly across the region.

In terms of sensitivity, there are 694 polling stations of category A, 1371 of category B and 3425 of category C.

According to Regional Police Officer, (RPO) Syed Khurram Ali, 2,519 CCTV cameras had been installed across the region to monitor the situation from the central control room.

Syed Khurram Ali further said that the control rooms had also been set up in all districts while a central control room had been set up in the regional office.

The police in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal along with other law enforcement agencies had also conducted a joint flag march and full dress rehearsal regarding the election, he added.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, Liaquat Ali Chatta along with RPO, Syed Khurram Ali during a visit to the central control room established in sports Complex Liaquat Bagh for monitoring the elections of National and Provincial Assemblies reviewed all the arrangements. During the visit, they also reviewed the working of the control room and other administrative matters.

The commissioner informed that the focal persons of all the agencies concerned including District Administration, Police, Pakistan Army, Rescue-1122 would be present round the clock in the control room. Timely information regarding any emergency through the control room would help in taking immediate action, he said.

The commissioner said that the officers and personnel of all the institutions would perform their duties 24-hour at each polling station to deal with any emergency situation.

Separate desks had been created for all the constituencies of Rawalpindi district, the DC Rawalpindi said adding that a media monitoring cell had also been set up in the control room.

Rawalpindi district police had conducted Flag March across the district regarding the security of General Elections.

According to a Rawalpindi district police spokesman, Rawalpindi Police, Pak Army, Rangers and other law enforcement agencies participated in the flag march which was supervised by City Police Officer, SSP Operations, Divisional SPs and other senior officers.

Separate flag march was conducted in seven National Assembly constituencies of Rawalpindi district, NA-51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57 under the supervision of senior officers.

More than 9500 officers of the police would perform security duty for general election 2024, CPO, Syed Khalid Hamdani said adding, the security would be deployed at 580-A, 980-B and 1221-C category polling stations.

The city had been divided into 280 clusters for the security patrolling, the CPO informed.

Elite commandos would patrol on Murree Road, Mall Road, near important places and installations, Syed Khalid Hamdani added.

Pakistan Army and Rangers Quick Response Force would also perform patrol duties at important places, he said adding, Police Quick Response Teams would patrol across the city and provide immediate response if required.

Special security arrangements had been made for the safe delivery of the polling material, Syed Khalid Hamdi said and informed that cameras were being installed at the polling stations.

The CPO further said that the display of the weapons would be completely banned.

The implementation of the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan would be ensured at all cost, Syed Khalid Hamdani said.

Chief Secretary Punjab, Zahid Akhtar Zaman during a visit to the division had reviewed all the preparations including security being finalized for the general elections.

The chief secretary also visited the special control rooms established for the elections and the sensitive polling stations of Rawalpindi.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Liaquat Ali Chatta briefed the chief secretary about all the arrangements.

The number of registered voters in the division is over 7.5 million, the chief secretary was briefed and informed that 5,490 polling stations were established across the division, for which 3,604 buildings were being used.

Additional arrangements for the security of the polling stations had been made while the control rooms had also been set up.

Zahid Akhtar Zaman instructed that every possible step should be taken to implement the code of conduct, issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct free, fair and transparent elections.

In the general elections, a total of 934 candidates are contesting for 13 National Assembly and 26 Punjab Assembly seats of the division. Approximately 729,617 voters will use their right to franchise in electing 93 representatives for both national and provincial assemblies.

Several prominent political figures, including Speaker National Assembly and former Prime Minister, Raja Pervez Ashraf, former Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, and Hanif Abbasi, are among the seasoned politicians contesting for seats in the assemblies.

Total 284 candidates from various political parties, including independents, are contesting for the 13 seats in the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, for the 26 Constituencies of the Punjab Assembly, 650 candidates are competing to represent these constituents in the assembly.

Over 3.6 million registered voters would use their right to franchise on February 8, for 7 National Assembly (NA) and 14 Provincial Assembly (PA) seats of Rawalpindi district.

Over 2,671 Presiding Officers and 13,872 Assistant Presiding Officers will perform their duties, while 6,936 polling officers and 2,671 officials will assist them.

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