By-elections preparations: Rangers to stand guard inside and outside polling stations

Only 10% polling stations marked safe, announces election commission

KARACHI:

To make sure there is no rigging in the upcoming by-elections on April 7, the election commission has decided to deploy Rangers personnel both inside and outside polling stations.

"We have finalised the security plan and around 13 Rangers and police personnel will be deployed inside and outside the highly sensitive polling stations and seven at sensitive polling satiations," said provincial election commissioner Tanveer Zaki during a press conference on Saturday.

He was speaking to the media after chairing a meeting on by-elections preparations at his office. The meeting was attended by returning officers of districts East and Central, Karachi AIG, officials of the education department and a Rangers representative.



According to Zaki, the number of security personnel can be enhanced given the situation on polling day. Some political parties had demanded Rangers deployment even at less sensitive polling stations. "We have forwarded the demands of political parties to the chief election commissioner," said Zaki. "We are ready to implement whatever the higher authorises decide."

Voters in NA-245, which includes North Nazimabad, Buffer Zone and parts of Nazimabad, and PS-115, which includes Lines Area and Jacob Lines, will elect their representatives on Thursday as the previous Muttahida Qaumi Movement candidates on these seats - Rehan Hashmi and Arshad Vohra, respectively - had resigned after securing victories in the local government elections.

Meanwhile, the government has announced a public holiday in districts Central and East due to the by-elections.



Polling day

Only 10% of the polling stations will be safe, according to Zaki. In NA-245, 33 polling stations have been declared highly sensitive while 124 have been declared sensitive. Only 17 polling stations are marked 'normal' in this constituency, he shared. In PS-115, 66 polling stations have been declared highly sensitive while 14 have been declared sensitive. Only three polling stations are marked 'normal'.

Zaki assured that there will be no change in the election schedule and they will implement the code of conduct in letter and spirit. Polling will commence at 8am and will continue till 5pm without any break. "We have decided to form monitoring committees in each district to monitor the electoral process," he said. "The deputy commissioners will head the teams in order to make the election process transparent."

A senior election commission official, who requested not to be named, said that they have received intelligence reports on likely clashes between the workers of rival political parties at a few polling stations during the by-polls. "The army will be on standby," he said, adding that Rangers have also been asked to patrol the entire area.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2016.