- Caretaker CM directs authorities to hire drone cameras to monitor polling day, counting and recounting exercises
PESHAWAR: Caretaker Chief Minister Dost Muhammad Khan ordered establishment of a complaint and response centre and alternative security plan for the upcoming general elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He also ordered to make up the missing facilities, ensure strict surveillance, deployment of police personnel on sensitive points supported by the CCTV cameras and consolidate all resources for the peaceful, transparent and free and fair elections in the province.
He was addressing a high-level meeting here at the CM Secretariat to review the level of preparedness and the security arrangements for the elections 2018. Chief Secretary Kamran Naveed, IGP Muhammad Tahir, FC Inspector General Liaquat Ali, Local Government Secretary Jamaluddin Shah and other officials were also present.
The meeting was briefed by the senior government officials about the preparation for the elections. They also briefed the meeting about the steps taken for the proposed deployment of the police personnel, the sensitisation of the election conducting staff, coordination with other departments for necessary steps required on their part, the code of conduct for the public gathering, rallies etc and the necessary requirements for the peaceful and transparent conduct of the elections.
Addressing the participants of the meeting, the caretaker chief minister directed to take care of all the sensitive areas and weaknesses in the overall security and preparation plan for the elections. He directed for hiring drone cameras to properly monitor the whole elections with particular reference to the polling day, the counting and recounting exercises.
“The preparedness for the elections should be up to the mark, the presence of staff with closely monitored and the uninterrupted electricity should be ensured. Generators should also be arranged,” he said and agreed to the provision of security to all public gatherings and rallies including the political figures.
He also directed for preemptive measures against the violence related events in female polling stations. The meeting was told about the combined and coordinated approach by administrative, judiciary and the police supported by the intelligence agencies under the definite aim to conduct the elections peacefully and transparent without any influence.
The caretaker chief minister said that he had already directed for the relocation of the Frontier Constabulary to support the police in the province. He also directed to take the media on board for the presentation of actual worldview of the events in the elections. The Home Department should have security guidelines so that the situation could not be exploited by anyone.