Interim Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Arif Nizami on Saturday said Prime Minister (PM) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso has reiterated his commitment for free, fair and peaceful polls following which military deployment has been completed across the country.
He said no law enforcement agency personnel would be permitted to stay inside polling stations.
Briefing media personnel on the cabinet meeting that had taken place earlier, the caretaker infomration minister said during the cabinet meeting the premier reiterated his resolve to hold free, fair, peaceful and timely polls, stressing to strengthen intelligence coordination among provinces and intelligence agencies.
“Prime minister has urged to provide intelligence in real time,” Nizami added.
He said during the meeting the interior secretary gave a detailed briefing on the law and order situation across the country, indicating improvement, however he mentioned that “the threat is still in place.”
Nizami said the cabinet was informed that deployment of army throughout the country has been completed. The provinces have expressed satisfaction over deployment since they have more than the required strength of security personnel.
A quick response force of the army, said the information minister, would also be on the standby to respond to any untoward incident during voting.
“However, none of the law enforcement agencies personnel would be permitted to stay inside the polling stations. Sensitive polling stations would be monitored through video. The candidates would be provided with bullet proof rostrums. Tinted glass and posters on window panes of vehicles would be removed,” he said.
He said one National Assembly and three provincial assembly candidates had lost their lives till now, but the government is making preparations for peaceful polls despite all threats, following which an emergency plan for elections day security has been approved.
Responding to a question regarding a level playing field for all parties in elections‚ Nizami acknowledged that there are security problems adding that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had also become target of terrorism. He said the government has provided a level playing field to all parties and no one was stopping any party from campaigning in Punjab.
The minister said during his visit to Balochistan he noticed that media did not venture to cover the far flung areas of the province where people relied heavily on Radio Pakistan. In view of this, he said, approval has been taken from the premier for installation of a new radio transmitter in Balochistan.
Nizami said a Journalists Endowment Fund has been instituted with seed money of Rs10 million to compensate families of journalists who are killed during discharge of their professional duties in combat zones.
Nizami expressed hope that Pakistan Broadcasting Association and All Pakistan Newspapers Society would contribute Rs 5 million each, to the fund.
He strongly condemned the attack on Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah in a Jammu jail.
He also said the cabinet decided to rename the Ministry of National Services and Regulations as Ministry of Health Coordination and Regulation.
All health related organisations currently working under different ministries and divisions would be placed under the new ministry that would be named as Health Coordination and Regulation Division, earlier called the National Services and Regulation Division.
“If polio and measles vaccinations programmes do not meet their completion, the country could become target of international sanctions,” Nizami warned, responding to another question.