PP-13 by-elections to be held today

Arrangements have been made to provide foolproof security at the PP-13 by-elections to be held on Wednesday, said DCO Rawalpindi Imdadullah Bosaal.

A total of 11 candidates are taking part in the elections, which include Malik Ghulam Raza from PLM-N, Muhammad Adnan Chaudry from PML-Q, Abid Mughal from Awami Muslim League and Raja Shahid Pappu from PPP.

Out of the 108 polling stations, 52 will serve as female polling stations. A total of 239 polling booths have been set up in these stations, which include 113 female polling booths.

A total of 143,316 voters have been registered, which include 76,376 male and 66,940 female candidates. The number of registered candidates for the current PP-13 bye-elections makes up only 35.96 per cent of the number of candidates registered for the 2008 general election.

While addressing a conference, the DCO said that police and ranger officials have been deployed at all 108 polling stations across the city to beef up security. He said the polling stations will remain open from 8 am to 5 pm and any person found bearing arms in the vicinity of these polling stations, during or after the elections, will be arrested. All cars parked near the polling stations will be thoroughly checked and no one will be allowed to stand on the rooftops of nearby buildings, the DCO added.

Metal detectors will be placed at the entrance of polling stations and security officials will make sure that no one enters without being properly checked. The DCO said that walk-through gates will be installed at the 19 vulnerable polling stations, while the PP-13 candidates will be provided appropriate security.

The DCO advised the education department that security guards should deployed at schools and colleges being used as polling stations. He told the districted health officer that all possible facilities should be made available at hospitals in case of an emergency.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2010.