ECP warned against conducting polls in K-P

The information agencies person advised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) not to behaviour elections successful Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa astatine the moment, saying that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is progressive successful the state and poses a sedate information threat.

During an ECP meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, regarding the predetermination information successful K-P and Punjab connected Friday, unit of information agencies informed that determination were threats successful galore districts of Punjab arsenic well.

The Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, and Counter-Terrorism Department officials opined that the situation was not conducive for holding elections of some the assemblies.

However, the committee announced April 30 for conducting the polling connected the seats of the Punjab Assembly successful 36 districts of the province.

The ECP called the defence caput and the manager wide Military Operations adjacent week. It volition besides instrumentality a briefing from the main secretaries and inspector generals of constabulary aft which a determination volition beryllium taken connected the polls successful K-P.

The CEC said, “In the airy of the briefing, it volition beryllium casual to instrumentality assorted decisions regarding the peaceful behaviour of the election.”

Apart from the members and officials of the ECP, the officers of the Ministry of Defence and delicate institutions besides participated successful the meeting. The posting connected work was besides discussed.

According to sources, the ECP volition instrumentality important decisions regarding predetermination information adjacent week aft receiving a briefing from each the institutions.

ECP Secretary Umar Hameed Khan said successful an informal speech with journalists that the delicate institutions informed astir the facts connected the ground. “Our accusation accrued with the briefing of the delicate institutions. And the manager wide Military Operations volition springiness a briefing arsenic well. The Election Commission volition instrumentality a determination aft briefing each the stakeholders.”

Apart from information concerns, the Election Commission asked Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governments for 350,000 further candidates for the elections.

The sources said that portion giving a briefing to the authorities, the ECP sought 297,000 unit from different instrumentality enforcement agencies successful Punjab, portion 56,000 much unit successful K-P.

While giving a briefing, the officials said that astir 52,000 polling stations volition beryllium established successful Punjab and 15,000 polling stations successful K-P.

“The territory returning officers (DROs) volition place highly delicate polling stations, which volition necessitate CCTV cameras and information unit from different agencies.”

Punjab polls

The ECP has appointed 36 DROs, 297 ROs and 294 adjunct ROs for the predetermination successful Punjab. All of them person been recruited from the bureaucracy.

The lawman commissioners person been assigned the work of DROs successful 36 districts of Punjab.

In this regard, a notification has been issued by the ECP.

According to the notification, Irrigation Deputy Secretary Captain (retd) Waseem has been appointed DRO, Lahore.

The ROs and adjunct ROs person been appointed successful 29 constituencies of the Provincial Assembly successful Lahore.

Elections volition beryllium held from PP-144 to PP-173 constituencies of Lahore.

The Punjab CEC has been appointed arsenic the RO for the seats reserved for minorities and women. A notification successful this respect has besides been issued.

The ECP emphasised that the enactment of officials was based connected their acquisition and competence successful the tract of administration.

“The committee is committed to ensuring that the elections are free, fair, and transparent, and has taken respective measures to guarantee that the electoral process is conducted smoothly,” the notification said.

The ECP urged each governmental parties, candidates, and voters to cooperate with the appointed officials and abide by the rules and regulations of the electoral process. It besides appealed to each stakeholders to refrain from immoderate activities that could disrupt the electoral process oregon undermine the integrity of the elections.