Daily Times

Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retired) Maqbool Baqar on Thursday said that general election is scheduled to take place on February 8, 2024, and for this, all necessary security arrangements are being finalized to conduct the elections in a peaceful environment.

Addressing a press conference at CM House after presiding over a meeting to review election arrangements,

he said that a security force comprising 133,000 policemen, Rangers and Pak Army would be deployed to guarantee the election’s transparency. He was accompanied by Minister for Home Brig (retd) Haris Nawaz, caretaker minister for Information Ahmad Shah and Special Assistant Advocate Moiz Baig.

The caretaker government of Sindh is making all-out efforts to hold free, and fair elections in the provincial areas of Sindh, the caretaker CM said. He said that general election would be held to elect representatives of 61 national and 130 provincial assembly seats in Sindh.

Giving details of polling stations, he said there would be 19,006 polling stations for next elections, out of them some 6531 were declared sensitive while 6496 are highly sensitive.

“I had a detailed meeting with the Chief Secretary, IG Police and DG Rangers in which all divisional commissioners and DIGs and provincial election commissioner, Sindh participated,” he said. He said that overall law and order situation, provision of facilities and arrangement of security staff had also been discussed during the meeting.

After the security audit, the police have worked out a requirement of 109,000 police force against which 105,000 were available, he informed. The caretaker CM disclosed that there was a shortfall of 4000 policemen. The shortfall, he said, would be met by the auxiliary force of the provincial government such as the anti-encroachment force, Excise police, anti-corruption Civil Defence, and frontier constabulary. Apart from the police, 10,000 Rangers and 14,000 Pak Army personnel would also perform election duty, he added. The caretaker CM said that the Election Commission of Pakistan has trained the policemen as master trainers and they would further provide training to the remaining officials and auxiliary force, he said. He said that Election Cell had been established at CPO which was working round-the-clock.

He said that control room has also been established at CPO which would work in close coordination and liaison with the Control Room of the Ministry of Interior.

To a question, the caretaker CM said that the districts which had a history of violence in the last few elections have been termed as sensitive where necessary measures were taken to keep the situation normal during the election day.

To a question, Maqbool Baqar said that in his review meeting, an update has been taken from the

Commissioners about the repair of schools where polling stations were being established. He said that almost all school buildings have been repaired, adding that all necessary facilities have been ensured in these schools.

To another question, he said that the Provincial Election Commissioner told him in the meeting that printing of the ballot papers has been started.

“We would help the ECP to ensure safe and secure transportation of ballot papers to their destinations well in time,” he said. Maqbool Baqar said that Provincial Election Commissioner Sharifullah told him that the arrangements for the Feb 8, general election have been completed and the provincial, divisional and district administrations are supporting the ECP to their best.

Meanwhile, the caretaker CM told the media that vehicles provided to the election staff were in good condition.

“We would also ensure to provide uninterrupted electricity, transport, proper security, water, sanitation and other facilities to all the polling stations,” he said.

He said that in the vicinity of polling stations, an ambulance equipped with necessary facilities including doctors, fire tenders would also be deployed. The CM told that provincial election commissioner was satisfied with the support, necessary help and facilitation extended by the Sindh government.