Dera Ghazi Khan: 120 polling stations declared 'extremely sensitive'

DERA GHAZI KHAN:

As many as 91 candidates are in the run for chairman and vice chairman in 17 union councils of the Dera Ghazi Khan municipal corporation.

For the district council, 429 candidates are vying for general councillor in 98 union councils. Three women candidates for chairman and vice chairman are also in the field. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), there are more than 1.1 million registered voters. As many as 955 polling stations have been set up in the district. Out of these, 847 polling stations are in the settled area and 108 in the tribal area.

In the settled area, two polling stations have been designated for the municipal committee and 108 for union councils. In the tribal area, the 108 polling stations have been set up in nine union councils.

The district police will be providing security to 847 polling stations that have been divided into three categories for the purpose. As many as 50 polling stations have been declared “extremely sensitive”.

More than 3,300 policemen and 60 teams of Elite Force will be on duty apart from Pakistan Army and Rangers personnel.

In the tribal area, 70 polling stations have been declared “extremely sensitive”.

Around 750 polling staff, including presiding officers, will be on duty on election day at the 108 polling stations in the tribal area. As many as 300 Border Military Police officials and 100 Balochistan Levies personnel will guard the polling stations.

In the tribal area, 106 polling booths each have been set up for men and women.

The authorities said 1,200 National Scouts personnel and more than 2,800 additional policemen will help security agencies in maintaining order.

Exhibition of weapons and use of loudspeakers is banned. Gatherings of more than five people within 300 metres radius of polling stations will not be allowed in accordance with the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2015.