Capital to geo-tag all polling stations

Officials told to ensure CCTV cameras are installed

ISLAMABAD: The authorities in the capital are geo-tagging all 378 polling stations in the city.

This was disclosed in a high-level meeting to review security arrangements in the city for next month’s general elections. The meeting was chaired by Islamabad Chief Commissioner Aftab Akbar Durrani and was attended by the Inspector General of Police Sultan Azam Taimuri, a representative of the Election Commission of Pakistan, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Captain (retired) Mushtaq Ahmed, Administration Director Asim Ayub, Islamabad SSP Najeebur Rehman Bugvi and officials of the district administration.



The participants of the meeting were told that the capital police were geo-tagging of 378 buildings in the city which will serve as polling stations come polling day, July 25. Work in this regard is underway.

Officials explained that by geo-tagging the polling stations, authorities will have data on how many polling stations are there in each building and how many voters are there in each polling station at a given time.

It was further decided in the meeting that the main control room for monitoring election activity will be established in the Safe City control centre. Moreover, another control room will be set up in the deputy commissioner’s office.



Officials said that they are currently in the process of installing closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at all polling stations.

The meeting further discussed security arrangements at the polling stations and security for polling staff.

It was decided that the district administration will prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) for public gatherings in the capital. The participants also discussed the security plan for the monitoring team’s code of conduct.

SSP Bugvi briefed the meeting about the deployment of police at polling stations.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2018.