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Pakistan designates over 55 percent polling stations as ‘sensitive or highly sensitive’ ahead of February polls

A Pakistani policeman stands guard next a stage of opposition political parties during an anti-government protest in Karachi on July 25, 2019. (AFP/File)
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Updated 16 January 2024
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Pakistan designates over 55 percent polling stations as ‘sensitive or highly sensitive’ ahead of February polls

  • Out of 92,353 total polling stations, 30,441 declared sensitive and another 20,606 highly sensitive
  • Threat of militancy and risk of confrontations between two or more groups determine designation of polling booth
Updated 16 January 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has tentatively declared 55 percent of polling stations for upcoming elections as “sensitive” or “highly sensitive,” the regulator told Arab News on Tuesday, with experts suggesting additional security forces be deployed to boost voter confidence but cautioning personnel to take a “non-aggressive and non-intimidating” approach.

The ECP has established 92,353 polling stations across the country for general elections due on Feb. 8, with 51,047 labeled sensitive or highly sensitive (30,441 sensitive and 20,606 are highly sensitive). In Pakistan, polling booths are usually marked sensitive in areas with a record of militant or other types of violence.

“Police in each district have devised a comprehensive security plan on the basis of the current situation and past history and categorized the status of stations as normal, sensitive and highly sensitive and accordingly deployment of security personnel will be made,” the ECP told Arab News in a statement.

Elections in the politically and economically troubled South Asian nation were originally due to be held in November, 90 days after the dissolution of the lower house of parliament in August, but were delayed to February due to the fresh demarcation of constituencies under a new census. Pakistan is currently being run by a caretaker government under interim Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar that is meant to oversee a general election.

In the run up to the polls, a spike in militant attacks has raised growing concerns about security arrangements. Last week, a candidate campaigning door to door was shot dead in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while another candidate for the National Assembly from the southwestern province of Balochistan was seriously injured in a separate armed attack.

Last week the senate passed a non-binding resolution to further delay the elections, citing security concerns and a harsh winter in northern areas, but the ECP said on Monday it would not delay polls.

Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of the Islamabad-based think tank PILDAT, said sensitive polling stations required extra security measures including the presence of police and other law enforcement agencies.

“Presence of security forces outside the polling stations is generally useful as it inspires confidence of voters that peace will be maintained,” he told Arab News. “Security forces need to be non-aggressive and non-intimidating and ECP should make sure that some minimal training or briefing should be conducted for them.”

Former ECP secretary Kanwar Dilshad said the election regulator determined sensitive and highly sensitive polling stations after consultations with the interior ministry, security institutions, intelligence agencies, provincial home departments, and concerned returning officers (RO).

“The primary factors considered include the potential threat of terrorism and the risk of confrontations between two or more groups,” he told Arab News.

Entire constituencies were not declared sensitive, he explained, but only certain polling stations in each constituency where security concerns prevailed.

“For these polling stations, there is a slight increase in police deployment for sensitive areas and a slightly higher deployment for highly sensitive areas,” Dilshad said.

Other than police, paramilitary forces and Rangers’ presence was intensified at such polling stations, with standby forces stationed approximately two kilometers away to address any “unforeseen situations,” Dilshad added.

Election expert Muddassir Rizvi, the chief operating officer at the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), said there was no evident direct relationship between turnout or outcomes at a constituency and the number of polling stations designated as sensitive. 

“But actual violence itself affects the election outcome in multiple ways, for example if violence erupts at a polling station, polling halts and voters get less time to vote, which means decreased turnout,” he told Arab News.

 “Many people will not go to polling stations to cast their vote which also again leads to suppressed voting which can impact the result of that constituency.”

He said the ECP did not release names of sensitive polling booths publicly but they were designated such for internal purposes only so necessary security arrangements could be made.

“Which also makes sense because ahead of time if we tell people this is a very highly sensitive polling station that will keep people away due to the fear of violence or a certain threat,” Rizvi said.

Elections in Pakistan come as militants who aim to overthrow the government and install their own brand of strict Islamic law in the predominantly Muslim country of 241 million people have stepped up attacks since revoking a cease-fire agreement with the government in late 2022.

Security are expected to remain a major concern ahead of the elections, political analyst Aasiya Riaz said.

“But contrary to popular belief, polling day issues do not hamper the outcome of an election to a large extent,” she told Arab News. “Pakistan’s polling experience shows us that pre-poll rigging and vote count and post-poll rigging have affected our election results far worse than irregularities on polling day.”

Topics: polling stations general election 2024

Dutch court convicts two Pakistanis over death threats to anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders

Updated 5 sec ago
AP
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Dutch court convicts two Pakistanis over death threats to anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders

  • Court found Muhammad Ashraf Asif Jalali guilty of attempting to incite Wilders’ murder
  • It also convicted Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan leader Saad Rizvi of the same charges
Updated 5 sec ago
AP

SCHIPHOL: A Dutch court convicted two Pakistani religious and political leaders in their absence Monday over calls to their followers to murder anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, the leader of the Party for Freedom that won last year’s general election in the Netherlands.
Wilders has lived under round-the-clock security for nearly 20 years due to the thousands of threats to his life following his outspoken criticism of Islam. His bodyguards and two armed military police sat in the courtroom for Monday’s hearing.
Neither of the defendants was in court to hear the verdicts. They are believed to be in Pakistan and are unlikely to be turned over as Pakistan has no extradition agreement with the Netherlands. Prosecutors said last week that requests they sent to Pakistani authorities seeking legal assistance to serve subpoenas on the two men were not executed.
The court found Muhammad Ashraf Asif Jalali guilty of attempting to provoke murder and incite Wilders’ murder with a terrorist intent and of issuing threats. He was sentenced to 14 years, in line with a sentence demand made last week by prosecutors.
The court said that Jalali is a religious leader whose website claims he has millions of followers around the world. It said his comments to his followers “infringed Wilders’ personal privacy very seriously,” and added that such threats “can also harm freedom of expression in general, while a democratic society benefits from being able to exchange opinions without physical danger.”
In the second case, the court convicted Saad Rizvi, who leads the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, or TLP, for incitement to murder and threatening Wilders. He was sentenced to four years, two years less than prosecutors had requested. He got a lower sentence in part because the court ruled that his comments posted on social media did not amount to a terrorist crime.
Wilders welcomed the verdicts and sentences from the three-judge panel.
“I’m very pleased about it. It’s really, I believe, the first time ever in Holland that an imam, from abroad in this case, is being sentenced for an a long jail sentence for putting a fatwa on the head of a parliamentarian in the Netherlands. My head. And I’m very pleased about that,” he said outside the courtroom.
They are not the first Pakistani men convicted and sentenced in the Netherlands for threats targeting Wilders.
Last year, a former Pakistani cricketer, Khalid Latif, was sentenced to 12 years in prison over allegations that he had offered a reward for the death of Wilders. Latif also did not appear for trial and is not in custody in the Netherlands. Rizvi publicly praised Latif, the court ruled Monday.
Also, in 2019, a Pakistani man was arrested in the Netherlands, convicted and sentenced to 10 years for preparing an attack on Wilders, who is sometimes called the Dutch Donald Trump.
A prosecutor, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, told judges last week that threats began to be aired on social media after Wilders’ announcement that he was organizing a competition for cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in 2018. The planned contest sparked angry protests in Pakistan and elsewhere in the Muslim world.
Physical depictions of the Prophet (PBUH) are forbidden in Islam and deeply offensive to Muslims.
Wilders told judge last week about the way the threats had affected his life.
“Every day you get up and leave for work in armored cars, often with sirens on, and you are always aware somewhere in the back of your mind that this could be your last day,” he said.

Topics: Geert Wilders

In a first, Pakistani Shariah-compliant insurance provider introduces instant withdrawal facility

Updated 09 September 2024
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In a first, Pakistani Shariah-compliant insurance provider introduces instant withdrawal facility

  • The new service will allow participants to withdraw partial funds in case of emergencies through the company’s mobile app, online portal
  • Company official says this unique facility represents a ‘significant step forward’ in the evolution of Islamic financial services in Pakistan
Updated 09 September 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: The Pak-Qatar Family Takaful Limited (PQFTL), a leading Pakistani Shariah-compliant family insurance provider, has introduced instant withdrawal facility for its customers, the company said on Monday, adding that this is the first time that a takaful operator in Pakistan had offered such a facility.
The PQFTL is a technology-driven Shari’ah-compliant company providing innovative takaful (insurance) solutions since 2007, according to the Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (PACRA).
The PQFTL said the new service would allow participants to withdraw partial funds in case of emergencies with ease and instant access through the company’s mobile app or its online portal.
“Our strategic approach not only enhances our end-to-end service delivery but also aligns with our vision to provide innovative and customer-centric financial solutions,” Waqas Ahmad, CEO of the PQFTL, said in a statement.
“We believe this facility will greatly benefit our participants by providing them with unprecedented ease of access to their funds.”
This integration will enable participants to easily draw their funds, enhancing convenience and accessibility for the users, according to the company.
“This unique facility represents a significant step forward in the evolution of Islamic financial services in Pakistan, providing customers with more flexibility and control over their financial assets,” it said.
“PQFTL remains committed to driving innovation and excellence in the Islamic financial services industry and this initiative is a display of PQFTL’s dedication to prioritizing customer satisfaction and convenience.”

Topics: Pak-Qatar Family Takaful Limited

Pakistani court denies bail to woman in Karachi hit-and-run case despite pardon

Updated 09 September 2024
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Pakistani court denies bail to woman in Karachi hit-and-run case despite pardon

  • Natasha Danish caused a fatal accident while driving under drug influence last month
  • Victims’ families pardoned her, but court says the drug case filed by the state to proceed
Updated 09 September 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: A Pakistani court on Monday denied bail to a woman accused in a high-profile hit-and-run case, dashing her hopes for immediate freedom after the family of two people who died in the crash pardoned her in a manslaughter case last week.
CCTV footage of the accident was widely circulated on social media last month, showing a Toyota Land Cruiser, allegedly driven by Natasha Danish, the wife of well-known businessman Danish Iqbal, hitting a motorbike from behind, resulting in the death of a female student and her father. Five others were also injured in the incident.
Initially, the defense lawyer told the local court his client was undergoing psychiatric treatment to secure her exemption from court appearances. However, hospital authorities said the suspect’s family could not provide any evidence of the claim, saying she was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident.
Last week, the court granted the suspect bail in the manslaughter case after the families of those killed and injured submitted affidavits, saying they had forgiven her for the accident. However, the court reserved judgment in the second case filed against her for drug use.
“This Court in its humble view finds applicant/accused failed, to be admitted to post-arrest bail in absence of reasonable ground,” Judge Muhammad Raza Ansari, civil judge district east, declared in a written order. “Therefore, instant bail application stands dismissed, accordingly.”
According to the order, the defense attorney had challenged the applicability of Section 11 of The Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979, arguing that the legal provision dealt only with alcohol, while his client was accused of using methamphetamine, commonly known as ice.
The judge, however, dismissed the argument, stating that the law was “not confined to intoxicating liquor only” but also covered other substances.
Section 11 of The Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979, stipulates that any Muslim caught in violation can be punished with up to three years in prison, 30 lashes or both.
The defense lawyer further argued the blood test of his client had not returned positive for the drug and raised concerns over the safe custody of the urine sample, which showed the presence of methamphetamine, during a public holiday.
The judge rejected both arguments, citing expert opinion on the matter.
Additionally, the defense counsel claimed the accused had already been pardoned by the victims’ family.
However, the court rejected this reasoning as well, saying that the legal heirs’ pardon could not impact the second case, which was filed by the state.
The court emphasized that methamphetamine consumption was a “new evil” gripping society and must be curbed.
It also described the accused as a “well-educated lady with a good sense of living and law,” adding that she still decided to drive the vehicle while intoxicated, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to others.

Topics: Natasha Danish Karachi hit and run

13 injured as roadside bomb targets anti-polio team in northwest Pakistan

Updated 09 September 2024
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13 injured as roadside bomb targets anti-polio team in northwest Pakistan

  • The incident came as Pakistan launched an anti-polio vaccination drive in 115 districts across the South Asian country
  • No group claimed responsibility but Pakistani Taliban, other militants have previously targeted anti-polio teams in region
Updated 09 September 2024
REHMAT MEHSUD

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Thirteen people were wounded when a roadside bomb targeted a police vehicle escorting an anti-polio team in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Monday, officials said.
The northwestern Pakistani province, which borders Afghanistan, has been the scene of a number of attacks on police, security forces and anti-polio vaccination teams as well as kidnappings in recent months.
The blast, which took place in Wana town of KP’s South Waziristan tribal district, injured seven policemen and three anti-polio vaccinators among 13 people, according to Wana police spokesman Habib Islam.
“The police vehicle escorting polio team came under an improvised explosive device (IED) attack near Karikot, a rugged village on the outskirts of Wana,” Islam told Arab News, adding the injured persons were immediately shifted to the Wana District Headquarters Hospital.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Hammad Mehmood, medical superintendent at the hospital, told Arab News that a total of 13 wounded persons were brought to the facility and most of them had suffered minor injuries except for one.
“The critically wounded person was referred to Dera Ismail Khan for treatment,” he added.
The incident came as Pakistan launched an anti-polio vaccination drive in 115 districts across the South Asian country, which has witnessed a virus outbreak this year.
The administration in South Waziristan, which borders Afghanistan and was once a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, also kicked off door-to-door campaign to vaccinate more than 70,000 children against the crippling disease.
In the past, Pakistani Taliban and other militants have targeted scores of anti-polio vaccinators and their security escorts in the restive region.
In July, two cops on polio duty were injured in separate attacks in the Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts of the province.
In January this year, five policemen were killed and 22 others were injured after a blast targeted a polio protection team in Mamund village of KP’s Bajaur district, according to police. The police contingent was heading out to far-flung areas in the province to protect polio volunteers when it was targeted by a bomb.
Opposition to inoculation grew in the region after the US Central Intelligence Agency organized a fake vaccination drive to help track down former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad in 2011.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio remains an endemic.

Topics: Pakistan Polio Service polio team attacked Anti-polio drive Polio

China to train Pakistanis among 3,000 more overseas cops in next 12 months

Updated 09 September 2024
AFP
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China to train Pakistanis among 3,000 more overseas cops in next 12 months

  • The development comes as China seeks to cement its role as a global security provider
  • Public security minister says they will also send police consultants to various countries
Updated 09 September 2024
AFP

LIANYUNGANG: China will train thousands of law enforcement officers from different countries over the next 12 months, its police chief said Monday, as it seeks to cement its role as a global security provider.
Police from China have trained 2,700 officers in the past year and are planning to coach 3,000 more from various countries over the next 12 months, public security minister Wang Xiaohong said in a speech at a conference in eastern China.
“We will (also) send police consultants to countries in need to conduct training to help them quickly and effectively improve their law enforcement capabilities,” Wang said.
The security conference held in the port city of Lianyungang in Jiangsu province drew law enforcement officers from 122 countries, regions, and international organizations including Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan and global police body Interpol.
The annual Lianyungang conference is seen as part of the Global Security Initiative (GSI) proposed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2022, which aims to address international issues through cooperation with other countries.
However analysts have described the GSI as a way of expanding China’s global influence and chipping away at the current US-led security order.
“It’s almost like saying ‘if you don’t like the Western way of doing things, we’ve got the Chinese alternative’,” Benjamin Ho, an assistant professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies’ China Programme, told AFP.
“So certainly, China is trying to highlight some of these (policing) initiatives in a big way, and that’s part and parcel of its jostling for influence vis-a-vis the West,” Ho said.
Wang said in his speech to hundreds of conference delegates that law enforcement had been “politicized.”
“Normal international cooperation has been demonized,” Wang said, adding that China “rejects any form of hegemonism and bullying.”
He also said that regional security risks continue to “spill over,” including from the Ukraine war, the Israel-Palestinian conflict and tensions in the Red Sea.
Rose-gold handcuffs, batons and bulletproof vests were on display for potential overseas buyers at the conference venue.
Exhibition halls showcasing some of China’s latest policing equipment drew the attention of curious foreign visitors.
Armored vehicles lined the pavement leading to the exhibition and booths featured face-recognition software designed to help in identifying fugitives.
Ho said the Chinese were trying to highlight how “safe and secure” their country was, especially with their latest surveillance techniques.
“I suppose that kind of logic would have to be quite attractive to countries who may be struggling with their own domestic security,” Ho said.
“From the Chinese side, all these are opportunities for them to showcase their global security influence.”

Topics: Police training Pakistan China Ties

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