Preparations underway: Only 7% of polling stations ‘safe’

ECP considers deploying 9,400 Rangers, army personnel on election day .

KARACHI:

The Election Commission of Pakistan declared on Saturday 93 per cent of the polling stations in Karachi as 'most sensitive' and 'sensitive' and has considered deploying Rangers personnel inside these polling stations by giving them magisterial powers to hold free and fair elections and avert any untoward incident.

Addressing a press conference after chairing a meeting in Karachi, ECP secretary Babar Yaqoob said, "The Sindh government has also requested us to deploy at least 20 companies of armed forces [each company comprises 250 to 300 personnel]". The six companies will be in available in district South and seven each in districts East and West, he said dispelling the impression that the election will be postponed.

"There are a total 4,141 polling stations in Karachi, of which 1,791 have been declared most-sensitive and 2,116 sensitive. Only 234 polling stations will be normal in the city," he said, adding that Landhi, Lines Area, Shah Faisal, Lyari, Ghas Mandi, Khokhrapar, North Nazimabad, Ibrahim Hyderi and Gulshtan-e-Jauhar are among areas that have been declared highly sensitive.



Sharing details from the recommended security plan, devised by the home department, the secretary said that seven policemen will be deputed in the most-sensitive polling stations, six in sensitive polling stations and five at normal polling stations. "The third phase of the LG election in Karachi is very important for us. We will leave no stone unturned." A total 9,400 Rangers and army personnel and 25,000 cops will be available for security duty on polling day and we are considering giving them magisterial powers,he claimed.

He said all weapons' licences in the city will be suspended on polling day and strict action will be taken against violators of the code of conduct. "Private guards in plainclothes will not be allowed. No one can carry guns except for the police, Rangers, armed forces and guards of private security companies," he said. The police will provide 28 mobile vans and 180 motorcycles to the Rangers for patrolling. "It has been decided that Rangers will mainly focus on election duty from December 4 to December 6," he added.



On the lethargic attitude of some federal government departments for refusing to perform election duty, Yaqoob said that they will take up this matter with higher authorities. "We are already facing a shortage of polling staff and suddenly Port Qasim and Steel Mill have refused to give us staff," he said adding that the election commission is also having problems finding a female presiding officer for Malir. He said that they have also appointed district returning and returning officers from other provinces.

"The election commission has done its work. Those who have reservations can now knock on the doors of the election tribunals and courts," he claimed.

Attempt to postpone

The Sindh government has apparently raised the issue of postponing the third phase of the LG elections in Karachi on December 5, claimed sources privy to the development. "All administrations will be busy in security arrangements for chehlum, which will finish on December 3. We will have only two days to put in place security for the polls, therefore we request the delay of the polls for two or three days," the Karachi commissioner and other representatives of the Sindh government said.

Yaqoob directed them to file a written application, which sources said they did not do, and instead continued to plead for postponement.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2015.