Shikarpur deployment: Security arrangements in place for polls

Army, police and Rangers deployed to avoid any untoward incidents.

SHIKARPUR: Around 2,900 police officials, 600 army soldiers, 600 Pangers personnel and a number of police volunteers have been deployed in Shikarpur to ensure security for the upcoming elections.

Shikarpur deputy commissioner, Noor Ahmed Shah, while addressing a press conference at his office on Saturday, said that the district and police administrations are assisting district election authorities to provide all necessary services as requested by the Election Commission. He informed that out of the 408 polling stations in Shikarpur district, 126 have been declared as most sensitive while another 165 have been declared as sensitive. Police, Rangers and army personnel have been deployed at all polling stations to avoid any untoward incidents on election day.

Shikarpur SSP, Azfar Mahesar, said that besides the establishment of women complaint centres, four police control points, constituting 20 police personnel each, have been setup at the Taluka level to monitor the situation and conduct patrolling. “Eight-member police teams, headed by a police inspector at most-sensitive polling stations, five-member police teams at sensitive polling stations and two-member police at normal polling stations, will be deployed as per the security plan on election day,” he added

Separately, 6,000 soldiers of the Pakistan Army from the Hyderabad garrison have been deployed in districts of Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas divisions. The deployment, which is part of the security arrangements for the upcoming elections, was finalised on Sunday.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2013.