ISLAMABAD   -   The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is all set to hold the first phase of Local Government elections in Balochistan on May 29th.

According to the ECP Spokesman, apart from Quetta and Lasbela, local government elections are being held in 32 districts of Balochistan on 29th May. The spokesman said that all polling materials, ballot papers, polling bags and polling staff will be delivered to their respective polling stations with full security,adding that all arrangements have been completed including security staff and material distribution. He said that Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and  Secretary ECP are supervising all the arrangements from Central Control Room Islamabad,and also a separate control room has been set up in Balochistan regional Election Commissioner Office.

CEC Sikandar Raja Sultan said that the electoral process should be made  transparent and peaceful  as well as the elections will also be held free and fair in the province. CEC directed the District Returning Officer to take Immediate action  against those who violate the law on the polling day. The official said that first phase local bodies elections in 32 districts will be held  in remote areas and far-flung areas.

Earlier, the notification shared by ECP said that there are 838 union councils in 32 districts and  5345 rural wards and 914 urban wards,and 7 municipal corporations and 49 municipal committees. He said that ‘’a total of 5226 polling stations have been set up in 32 districts’’saying that there are approximately 16195 candidates including 132 women, meanwhile the total number of voters is more than 3.5 million.

Preparations of LG election in full swing

Commissioner Quetta Division Suhail-ur-Rehman Baloch and IGFC Major General Muhammad Yousuf Majoka chaired the first meeting of the Divisional Review Committee regarding preparations of Local Government (LG) Election to be held on May 29.

Several important decisions were made for local body election in the meeting, said a press release issued here on Saturday. The meeting was attended by senior officials of district administration and law enforcement agencies, including representatives of various political parties. In addition, senior law enforcement officials and political party officials attended the meeting.

In the meeting, IG FC North Muhammad Yousuf Majoka said that FC would be deployed at all polling stations for maintaining law and order as it  was a basic human need and without peace, no individual, society and country could be developed.  Addressing the meeting, Commissioner Quetta Division Suhail-ur-Rehman Baloch said that peaceful and transparent conduct of upcoming local body elections would be ensured at all costs. Additional security personnel will be deployed at all the sensitive polling stations in order to control any untoward situation, he said. During the meeting, all the political parties agreed to cooperate with the administration for the peaceful conduct of the local body elections. Important matters relating to election process were also reviewed in detail.

Commissioner Quetta Division said that in the next meeting of the committee, district level committees would present their suggestions regarding education, health, drinking water  and others in the divisional committee. All tribal elders, political figures and especially parents should guide us in getting education for their children, he said we were committed to an educated Balochistan and all our efforts were focused on the functioning and improvement of educational institutions. He said that all institutions should cooperate with each other to ensure durable peace in the areas.

The commissioner said that political parties at all levels have a role to play in local body elections, therefore, their implementation of ECP code of conduct was imperative saying that their cooperation is essential for the solution of problems in other areas including public issues, education and health.

He said that politicians should forget their differences and widen the avenues of development in the province adding he said that all such goals can be achieved only through community mobilization for the establishment of an educated and healthy society.