CM asks police to show zero tolerance to miscreants

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed Sindh police to demonstrate zero tolerance while maintaining law and order during local bodies (LB) elections to be held in 14 districts of four divisions on June 26.

He also directed the home department to impose Section 144 against display of arms during LB elections and also asked the police to deploy a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) in case of any emergency.

Shah issued these directives while presiding over a meeting to review law and order situation and arrangements for local bodies elections here at CM House.

The meeting was attended by IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo, Commissioner Karachi Iqbal Memon, Additional IG Karachi Javed Odho and DIGs.

The commissioners of Larkana, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas divisions attended the meeting through video link.

The CM told the divisional administration and the police to meet the political parties and groups contesting the election and take them into confidence in respect of code of conduct. He was told that there would be 8,724 polling stations in all the 14 districts of which 1,985 had been declared as most sensitive, 3,448 sensitive and 3,291 normal.

Shah directed the commissioners concerned and the police to talk to the candidates and their party leadership to keep their supporters/workers under control. "If the candidates show restraint and understanding of the situation the number of the most sensitive polling stations would come down," he said.

The IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon informed the chief minister that 26,545 policemen would be deployed at the polling stations in the light of their sensitivity. He added that 9,925 policemen would be on duty at 1,985 most sensitive polling stations, 10,344 at sensitive polling stations and 6,276 at 3,291 normal polling stations.

Ban on display of arms

The Sindh government, on Tuesday, banned display of arms throughout the province for a period of sixty days under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The home department has issued the notification for imposition of ban on display of arms on recommendations of Inspector General of Police Sindh as a preventive measure to avert any untoward situation during Phase I and II of the local government elections, by-polls of NA 245 Karachi and the upcoming Eidul Azha.

Polling for the first phase of LG elections will be held on June 26, while that for phase II on July 24.

The voting for by-elections on National Assembly constituency NA-245 will be held on July 27.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2022.