Largest ever force safeguards Karachi’s voters today

10 companies of Pakistan Army have been placed on standby for emergency situations

KARACHI:

The city votes for its local government today. As the citizens make their way to the polling stations, they will be watched over by the largest contingent of law enforcers ever deployed in the city at a given time.

Over 42,000 law enforcers, both police personnel and paramilitary troops, have been deployed across the city for the security of the over seven million people casting their votes today. Besides, 10 companies of the Pakistan Army are also on standby in the metropolis as a 'quick response force'.



The Sindh government, in consultation with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), has deployed a force of 35,057 police personnel and 7,400 Rangers across the city. The highest number of law enforcers will be on duty at the 1,714 most-sensitive polling stations, followed by the 1,329 sensitive ones.

Special powers

Besides controlling the law and order situation, the Rangers have been given special magisterial powers by the election commission to enter the polling stations and ensure that the polling is being conducted in a transparent manner.

Briefing the chief minister at CM House on Friday, Sindh IG Ghulam Hyder Jamali said that the total available strength of the Karachi range police is 26,957, while an additional force of 10,000 personnel will be provided from other ranges, units and training centres. "Overall, the police force deployment will be 35,057 personnel," he said.



The IG said that the Pakistan Army is also deploying 10 companies. Each company has a force of 80 personnel. Moreover, 7,400 Rangers personnel will also be deployed at polling stations across the metropolis. "The Rangers personnel will patrol the city on 88 mobile vehicles and 180 motorcycles," he said.  IG Jamali explained that static deployment at polling stations will be according to their sensitive nature, while all the polling stations will be provided complete security cover through mobile patrolling. He added that the reserve platoons will be on alert to deal with any situation. "The entire city will be covered through surveillance cameras already installed in the city and through mobile surveillance systems," he explained.

Army on standby

"The army will be on standby at designated places and will be employed in case of an emergency whenever asked by the civil administration," a military official told The Express Tribune. "The army will respond as the third-line force while the primary responsibility will be with the Rangers and police."

Incidents of violence

Around a dozen political parties as well as a large number of independent candidates are contesting the elections today. Though no major untoward incident has occurred during the campaigning stage, a few violent incidents were reported late on Thursday night.



Tension gripped parts of the city when, according to the police, three political activists were injured in a clash with a rival political party in Manzur Colony, which is a part of Baloch Colony.

In another election-related incident of violence, unidentified persons attempted to burn alive a candidate for the general councillor's post in Surjani. Police officials said that the independent candidate, Abdul Rasheed, who is being supported by Pasban-e-Pakistan, received minor burns after he was allegedly doused with petrol and set on fire by unidentified persons.

Vote wise

‘Criminals’ for chairmen

Nearly 29 of the candidates for the seats of chairman, vice-chairman and general councillors in Karachi are nominated in different FIRs. Two of them belong to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, five from the Pakistan Peoples Party, four from the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz, three from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, one each from Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan Awami Tehreek, while the remaining are independent candidates.

According to a police report, criminal cases, including murder FIRs, are registered against these 29 candidates. “Only naming the candidates in the FIR is not an issue unless they are convicted or wanted by the court or police,” justified Tanvir Zaki, provincial election commissioner while speaking to The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th,  2015.