ISLAMABAD: Secretary Election Commission Babar Yaqoob says holding of free and fair elections is the prime responsibility of Election Commission and all the other institutions are only assisting it.
He was briefing Senate Standing Committee on Interior in Islamabad today about the security plan for general elections. Rehman Malik chaired the meeting.
The Secretary Election Commission informed the meeting that there will be 85,307 polling stations across the country, and all of them will be available on Google Map.
He said over twenty thousand polling stations have been declared sensitive, and CCTV cameras will be installed inside and outside all these polling stations.
He said three meetings were held with inspector generals of police regarding security. He said the provinces should make CCTV cameras functional by 25th of this month.
The Secretary Election Commission said four hundred fifty thousand policemen and over three hundred thousand army troops will be deployed on the polling day. As many as seven hundred and fifty thousand polling staff will perform the duty.
He said army personnel will assist the Election Commission under the law, and they will work under presiding officers.
The Secretary said for the first time a code of conduct for security personnel has been prepared.
He said for the first time watermarked ballot papers imported from Europe will be used in the elections.
Babar Yaqoob informed the committee that Returning Officers will send results to Election Commission through a special software. He said observers, most of them from EU and Commonwealth, will monitor the elections.
Briefing the Senate Committee on Interior, National Coordinator NACTA Dr. Suleman Khan said sixty-five security alerts had been received so far and they were issued to all political parties. He said there are threats from banned organizations including Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. He said a threat was also received from MQM London.
The coordinator said all intelligence committees at district levels should be made functional.
DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor told the meeting that Army is only working to maintain law and order on ECP’s directives to ensure peaceful polling.
He said the army has nothing more to do with the election.
Major General Asif Ghafoor said 371,000 personnel of armed forces will perform election duty on 857,000 polling stations across the country.
He said two security personnel each will be deployed inside and outside a polling station.
450,000 police, 300,000 army personnel to be deployed on polling day — ECP
450,000 police, 300,000 army personnel to be deployed on polling day — ECP
- There will be 85,307 polling stations across the country, and all of them will be available on Google Map
- Over twenty thousand polling stations have been declared sensitive, and CCTV cameras will be installed inside and outside all these polling stations
Pakistan to unveil austerity plan on Monday as Middle East conflict drives oil price surge
- The development follows an increase of Rs55 ($0.20) per liter in prices of petrol and diesel in Pakistan this week
- PM Shehbaz Sharif promises ‘maximum relief’ to people as soon as ‘this difficult phase passes’ and economy stabilizes
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to unveil an austerity plan tomorrow, Monday, as surging global oil prices, driven by United States and Israeli strikes on Iran, mount pressure on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government to curb spending and stabilize the economy, the PM’s office said on Sunday.
The development follows an increase of Rs55 ($0.20) per liter in the prices of petrol and diesel in Pakistan this week as the Strait of Hormuz, which supplies a fifth of the global oil consumption, faces disruptions due to US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s counter attacks on US interests in the Gulf region.
Pakistan’s Petroleum Division was directed to submit daily stock reports, while the country’s Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) was tasked with maintaining strict market oversight, officials said this week, as oil rose above $90 a barrel globally, the highest in years.
Sharif on Sunday presided over a meeting to review measures to stabilize the economy amid the Middle East conflict, with officials saying global supply disruptions and price fluctuations may have an impact on Pakistan, according to the prime minister’s office.
“In view of the recent international situation, timely implementation of measures is essential for the country’s economic stability,” Sharif was quoted as saying at the meeting. “The government is constantly monitoring the situation and all necessary decisions will be taken to provide all possible stability to the national economy.”
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Finance Minister said that Islamabad was preparing alternative plans to manage the financial impact of rising oil prices.
Speaking at the meeting, Sharif said the austerity measures must protect the interest of the people.
“All government employees and ministers will have to adopt austerity,” he said. “In the current difficult times, it is important to ensure wise use of national resources and as soon as this difficult phase passes and the economy becomes more stable, the government will provide maximum relief to the people.”
Instructions regarding austerity and simplicity will not be applicable to the industry and agriculture sectors so that the country’s production, exports and food security are not affected, according to Sharif’s office.
Several suggestions and recommendations based on austerity and simplicity were presented at the meeting, which were reviewed in detail by participants.
“The briefing was informed that the country has adequate reserves of diesel, petrol and other petroleum products and the government has made advance arrangements to deal with any emergency,” Sharif’s office said.
