LAHORE: Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari on Friday said that best security arrangements should be ensured on the polling day as the right to franchise in a peaceful atmosphere was the interim government’s top-most priority.
Presiding over a high-level meeting at the office of Rawalpindi division commissioner to review overall arrangements for the forthcoming general elections, the chief minister said that administrative issues could be overcome by exhibiting best professional capabilities and July 25 would be a performance test of the administration as well as the police.
He directed the agencies concerned to initiate immediate action for redressal of genuine complaints of political parties and candidates and added that every possible step should be taken to further improve the law and order situation and candidates should be taken into confidence for implementation of the election code of conduct.
The chief minister also directed the administration to provide necessary facilities, including clean drinking water, electricity and toilets, to the voters at every polling station.
Earlier, the meeting took important decisions regarding transparent and peaceful holding of the polls. It was decided during the meeting that 12,841 police officials would be deputed at more than five thousand polling stations in the Rawalpindi division, 1,841 police officials will be deployed in Jhelum and as much as 2,141 police personnel would perform their security duties in the Chakwal district.
It was also decided that close monitoring of polling stations would be carried out through CCTV cameras and district monitoring officers would monitor the steps taken for implementation of election code of conduct.
The meeting decided to arrange one ambulance within six kilometers radius of each polling station besides also finalising a strategy for the security of international observers, media persons and journalists. It also decided to establish heat stroke centers at polling stations situated in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal districts, keeping in view the possibility of a heat wave.