By-elections: PML-N, PTI, TLP candidates all eye victory in NA-60

Comprehensive security plan devised for Rawalpindi polling stations

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) and Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) have claimed that they will emerge victorious in by-elections of National Assembly’s NA-60 which are to be held on Sunday. PTI’s candidate Sheikh Rashid Shafiq has said that PTI will clean sweep in the by-elections same way they did in the general elections.

“Change is coming, bails of our opponents will be seized and Rawalpindi’s water, encroachment, health and education issues will be solved after the victory and schemes of affordable houses will be introduced in Rawalpindi,” he claimed.



PML-N’s candidate Sajjad Khan has said that PTI has failed within 50 days. Inflation has made lives of the people difficult, this time the public will not support PTI, and PML-N will be victorious again. Meanwhile, TLP’s candidate Zahid Aqeel has said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), PML-N and PTI have failed, for the implementation of Islamic system in the country, which is why the public should vote for Tehreek-e-Labbaik in the by-election.

Arrangements finalised

All is set to hold the by-elections on October 14, Sunday as all the arrangements have been finalised for conducting polls in a free, fair and transparent manner in Rawalpindi while over 4,000 cops will be deployed in Rawalpindi to maintain the law and order situation and avoid any untoward incident. A total 13 candidates are in the run for October 14 by-elections in NA-60, Rawalpindi-IV and NA-63, Rawalpindi-VII, two constituencies of Rawalpindi District. Army officials and police personnel have taken full control of all polling stations to hold free and fair elections. Around 76 polling stations in Rawalpindi have been declared sensitive where extra security arrangements have been made.

The main competition for NA-60 is expected between PTI's candidate Sheikh Rashid Shafique and PML-N's candidate Sajjad Khan. As many as 727,902 registered voters of NA-60, Rawalpindi-IV and NA-63, Rawalpindi-VII will elect their representative in the by-elections. Total eight candidates are in the run in NA-60, Rawalpindi-IV, the constituency of Rawalpindi city which has total 356,935 registered voters including 189,464 male and 167,471 female.

Total 690 polling booths including 363 for male and 327 for female have been set up in the constituency where 726 polling officers; 1,450 assistant presiding officers and 347 presiding officers will be deployed to ensure free and fair elections. Other candidates who are aspiring to become members of parliament from the constituency are Aftab, Independent candidate Ahmed Qureshi who has been allotted the jeep symbol, Pakistani Awami League (PAL) candidate Asghar Ali Mubarak given a hockey stick symbol, Independent candidate Tehmina Sajjad Khan with the butterfly symbol, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Zahid Aqeel with a  crane symbol, Independent candidate Muhammad Azhar Aslam with a combat tank and Independent candidate Muhammad Qaiser Mir Dad Khan allotted the ice cream symbol by the Returning Officer, NA-60.



According to the Returning Officer, no one will be allowed to violate the election Code of Conduct issued by Election Commission of Pakistan on polling day. He said action in accordance with the law would be taken against the violators. The by-elections are being held on the national and provincial assembly seats which became vacant due to the resignation or death of contesting candidates.

As many as 370,967 registered voters of NA-63 including 195,073 male and 175,894 female will cast their votes at 317 polling stations including 134 male, 126 female and 57 combined.       Total 711 polling booths including 372 for male and 339 for female have been set up in the constituency where 747 polling officers, 1,493 assistant presiding officers and 333 presiding officers will be deployed to ensure free and fair elections in NA-63.

Rawalpindi district police have devised a comprehensive security plan for conducting by-election in a fair and transparent manner. According to a police spokesman, on the special directives of City Police Officer Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan, all arrangements have been finalised for the elections while over 4,000 police personnel would be deployed to ensure foolproof security on the Election Day.                Different areas have been divided into three divisions, seven sub-divisions, 11 sectors and 45 sub-sectors while 24 sections of the Elite Force would also be deployed to avoid any untoward incident.

The polling stations of Rawalpindi district have been divided into three categories including 76 of A, 125 of B and 445 of C. Special security arrangements would be made for A category polling stations. Overall supervision would be conducted by SSP Operation Ali Raza. Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Dr Umer Jahangir has also reviewed arrangements including security for the elections. Rawalpindi Transport Authority has arranged vehicles for transportation of the election staff. Total 38 candidates are in the run for the by-elections for five National Assembly (NA) seats including NA-56 Attock-II, NA-60 Rawalpindi-IV, NA-63 Rawalpindi-VII, NA-65 Chakwal-II, NA-53, Islamabad-II and two Punjab Provincial Assembly (PA) seats PP-3, Attock-III and PP-27 Jhelum-III.

The federal capital is included with the Rawalpindi division which comprises Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock and Jhelum districts by the Election Commission of Pakistan for holding of the by-elections. Five candidates are in the run for NA-63 elections including Syed Haider Ali Shah, with the jeep symbol, Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP)’s Syed Ishrat Ali Zaidi with an arrow symbol, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Aqeel Malik with the tiger symbol, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)’s Qurban Ali with a crane symbol and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mansoor Hayat Khan with a bat symbol.

In order to ensure the security and smooth flow of traffic in the city, the City traffic police (CTP) has also issued a comprehensive traffic plan for election day. There will be a complete ban on parking of any vehicles on the premises of polling stations and their surroundings. According to City Traffic Officer (CTO) Rawalpindi, Muhammad Bin Ashraf four DSPs, seven Inspectors, 89 traffic wardens and 16 traffic assistants would perform duties in the city on Sunday.



Supply process completed

The supplying process of the polling box, stationary and other items to the polling officers is now complete. Polling officers supervising the by-elections for national assembly seats of NA 60 and NA 63 in district Rawalpindi have now received most of necessary supplies. The ballot box will be provided today (Sunday) early in the morning under the supervision of the army. The polling officers and staff had to spend the last night in the polling stations for which special arrangements were made.

The supply of items to the polling officers of NA-60 was made from Islamia Higher Secondary School, Murree Road. Since it was a main road, there were long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road and the traffic system was in disarray from 9am to 2pm.

There were long lines of 300 vehicles for bringing and taking away the polling officers while this total did not include the number of police and army vehicles. The supply system was also very slow with the male and female polling officers coming at 10am instead of 9am, when it was scheduled to arrive. The officials of the intelligence agency stopped the staff that came to the school without IDs and certificate of posting. Many male and female polling officers had to go back home to bring back these documents.

Even the supply was very sluggish and due to lack of staff, continued till 3pm. The female polling officers faced immense difficulties and they kept protesting with the security and election staff.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2018.