Election security: ‘500 polling stations declared sensitive’

Rs23 million needed for installation of cameras and other arrangements.

LAHORE:

The candidates would be provided security so that they can run their election campaigns without any fear, Lahore Commissioner Jawad Raffique Malik told The Express Tribune on Saturday.

Malik said as many as 500 polling stations in the city have been declared ‘sensitive’. He said surveillance cameras would monitor these stations and larger police teams would be deployed there.

Malik said Rs23 million was needed for installation of cameras and other arrangements at the polling stations in the district. He said that Rs9 million was needed for Lahore, Rs6 million for Sheikhupura and Rs4 million each for Kasur and Nankana Sahib.

He said candidates from religious minorities and those who had received life threats would be provided security. He said the DCOs had already been told to hold meetings with the police officers concerned.

A meeting to review election arrangements was held at commissioner’s office. A meeting of the District Aman committee was held at DCO’s office.

Nankana Sahib DCO Usman Ali Khan told The Express Tribune meetings would be held with DPOs to devise security plans for candidates.

He said it may be hard to rent hundreds of CCTV cameras. He said the cameras may have to be purchased. He said that Nankana Sahib had 71 ‘sensitive’ polling stations.

Security SP Abdul Ghaffar Qaisrani said that out of the 3,397 polling stations in the division as many as 500 were ‘sensitive.’

He said that there were 80 ‘sensitive’ polling stations in City Division, 98 in Iqbal Town, 78 in Civil Lines, 58 in Cantonment, 68 in Model Town and 118 in Saddar division. He said 12,000 policemen and Police Qaumi Razakar would be deployed at polling stations. He said that Lahore police would finalise the security arrangements in a day or two.

Monitoring Teams

Thirteen returning officers and judicial monitoring officers have also started a campaign against hordings and banners around the city.

District Officer (Monitoring) Younis Zahid said the citizens had appreciated the removal of banners and boards from their areas. He said his team had not faced any problems.

District Officer Muhammad Mahtab, too, said people were cooperating with his team. He said that even at places where boards were installed on private premises, people were supportive.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2013.