MULTAN-Punjab Chief Secretary Akbar Durrani has said that extending all out support to the election commission for holding free, fair and transparent election is responsibility of police and administration.
"Fair, free and transparent elections is the top most priority and the troublemakers and miscreants will be dealt with iron hand to maintain law and order across the province to achieve the goal.
Chairing a meeting of police and administrative officers in connection with election here at Circuit House on Tuesday, the Chief Secretary added that the provincial administration and police are prepared to cope with any kind of condition. He said that the Punjab Government ensured implementation of election code and confiscated banners, pamphlets, FIRs and fines against candidates were its proof.
He disclosed that a comprehensive plan had also been evolved to maintain law and order after announcement of election results. He declared that the security would remain on red-alert even after the election. He said that a province-wide sanitation campaign would be launched after election and inter-division as well as inter-district cleanliness competitions would be held.
Highlighting the importance of greenery, he said that a province-wide plantation drive had been launched. He added that the dream of a green Punjab would be materialized and entire province would be turned green.
Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Kaleem Imam said on this occasion that police would be deployed at all polling stations with a special monitoring mechanism for sensitive ones. He added that lady police would be deployed at female polling stations. He said that the real success of the law enforcement agencies was to maintain law and order on polling day and police would achieve this goal.
He warned that no one would be allowed to spread chaos after announcement of result. He added that the miscreants would be dealt with iron hand. He said that senior officers would be deployed at sensitive spots to boost the morale of personnel. He said that the police force had been issued instruction not to tease any citizen without reason while the miscreants must not be allowed to run away. He declared that the police force would also participate in ongoing plantation drive. He told the meeting that security would be given to dengue and polio teams.
Briefing the Chief Secretary, Multan Commissioner Division Nadeem Irshad Kiyani disclosed that a total of 5,135 polling stations had been set up in the division for 6613222 voters. He added that 614 stations had been declared sensitive and eight cameras were installed at each sensitive polling station. He said that walk through gates had also been installed at sensitive polling stations and these stations had been connected to the control rooms where concerned officials would monitor them continuously. He disclosed that the jawans of Pakistan Army had been deployed for maintaining law and order while police and civil defence personnel would also perform election duty. He said that HD and night vision cameras were installed at sensitive polling stations and the record of footages of these cameras would be saved.
He told the meeting that a total of 1815 cases of violation of election code had been reported from across the division on which a total of Rs710000 fine had been imposed. He said that 18 offences were of serious nature on which 32 FIRs were registered against the violators. He declared that a massive campaign against banners, posters and walk chalking would be launched after election and Multan would be made clean and green. He said that a foolproof security plan had been evolved for the masses and candidates. "The candidates, who have any kind of threat, have been informed personally," he added.
RPO Multan Abu Bakkar Khuda Bakhsh said that security would remain on red-alert during election in entire division and no one would be allowed to create interruption in election process. He said that the teams of international monitors were also given security.