Admin pencils polling, security plan for Faisalabad Div

FAISALABAD-Polling and security plan for the July 25, general elections have been finalised for over 7 million voters of Faisalabad division, comprising four districts - Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Chiniot.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, of the total 7 million registered voters of the division, 4.4 million, 77 thousand and 338 voters belong to Faisalabad district; the number of voters in Jhang stands at 1.4 million, 25 thousand and 801; Chiniot 0.7 million, 48 thousand and 50, while the number of registered voters in Toba Tek Singh District is 1.3 million, 48 thousand and 66.
Source in the Faisalabad District Election Commission informed that more than 35,000 staff would perform polling duty in Faisalabad district alone. The DEC has also finalised the list of polling stations and polling booths to be setup across Faisalabad district.
Similarly to ensure foolproof security and transparency in the election, heads of all 41 police stations of the district have been reshuffled. While three brigades of Pakistan Army have also been requisitioned to cope with any unpleasant incident on polling day.
According to the ECP officials, one brigade of Pak Army will perform duty in the jurisdiction of Faisalabad city, one in Chak Jhumra and Jaranwala while the third brigade will provide security in Tandlianwala and Samundari tehsils of the district.
Talking to0 the media here, CPO Ashfaq Khan informed that 145 polling stations have been declared sensitive in the district, reiterating the police resolve to ensure that the election is held in a peaceful atmosphere.
RPO Ghulam Mehboob Gujjar also assured that foolproof security would be ensured at all cost on polling day in all the four districts of Faisalabad division. He said that no one would be allowed to display weapons, warning that anyone found displaying arms would be dealt with sternly.
He claimed that a massive operation has been launched against display of arms and special picket would be set up to check the crime.
Moreover, the DEC has sent a demand for 4.6 million, 6,500 ballet papers for Faisalabad district.
On the other hand, candidates belong to all political parties including PML-N, PTI, PPP, Milli Muslim League, Teheer-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah, MMA, Sunni Ittehad Council and some others, submitted their party tickets to the returning officers concerned.
Almost all parties faced serious difficulties to field suitable candidates in all constituencies of Faisalabad district that’s why they awarded their party tickets to more than 70% of candidates on last day of filing nomination papers.
PTI awarded party tickets for all 10 National Asembly and 21 Punjab Assembly seats of district Faisalabad. The PML-N failed to field its candidate from NA-101 Faisalabad-1 and had to create alliance with its former MNA Asim Nazir who is contesting the polls as independent candidate.
PML-N former district president who has been elected MPA thrice on failing to get ticket has announced to contest against the PML-N candidate with the local PTI politicians who also failed to get tickets from their party.
It was interesting in Faisalabad that Milli Muslim League and Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah fielded its candidates in more than 90% of the constituencies.
The MMA also showed its majority while nominating its candidates. Prominent bigwigs of political parties who submitted their party tickets on last day of submission of party tickets include former state minister Rana Muhammad Afzal, Akram Ansari from PML-N, former senior provincial minister Raja Raiz, former provincial minister Zaheeruddin Khan and former speaker Punjab Assembly Afzal Sahi, former minister Nawaz Sher Wassir from PTI and former federal minister Rana Farooq Saeed from PPP.
A day earlier, former provincial law minister Rana Sana Ullah, former state and minister Abid Sher Ali had also submitted PML-N party tickets to returning officers.
Meanwhile, DC Syed Fawad Ahmad urged the DECto ensure effective implementation of the code of conduct evolved for the general elections.