Daily Times

As many as 32 candidates including 20 independents are contesting general elections for National Assembly Constituency No. NA-55, Rawalpindi-IV, while total 431,832 registered voters including 221,049 male and 210,783 female will use their right to franchise on the election-day.

Ibrar Ahmed, candidate of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Babar Sultan Jadoon, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, Arif Hussain Shah, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Umer Ali, Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan, Faisal Ul Hassan Khan, Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan, Muhammad Ijaz ul Haq, Pakistan Muslim League (Zia ul Haq), Nargis Jabeen, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and Muhammad Basharat Raja as an independent candidate are in the run. According to details, all the arrangements had been finalized by the administration for the general elections and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had also announced a polling scheme for the constituency, NA-55. Rawalpindi district administration on the directives of Commissioner, Rawalpindi Division, Liaquat Ali Chatta had finalized administrative measures including security arrangements to maintain law and order. As many as 311 polling stations including 156 male, 148 female and seven combined will be set up in the constituency to facilitate the voters. There will be total 778 polling booths including 395 for male and 383 for female voters in Rawalpindi-IV, NA-55 constituency.

Under the polling scheme of NA-55, out of total 2956 staff, there are 311 presiding officers with 1556 assistant presiding officers while 778 polling officers and 311 assistants will also perform their duties on the election-day.

The main areas under NA-55, Rawalpindi-IV constituency are Westridge, Railway Workshop, British Home, Islamabad View Colony, Rwp, Qasimabad, Naseerabad, Peshawar Road, Golra Mor, Chairing Cross, Hali Road, Aliabad, Allahabad, Westridge-III, Water Tanki, Carriage Factory Colony, Marble Factories, Westridge, Misrial, PIA Colony, Misrial Road Friends Colony, Dhoke Gujran, Officer Colony, Chakra Road, Ameer Hamza Colony, Millatabad, Dhoke Bannaras, Afshan Colony, Chur Harpal, Peshawar Road Cantt, Range Road, PIA Colony, Kohinoor Colony, Kohinoor Mills, Siham, Dhoke Mustaqeem, Mohallah Rajpotan Tariqabad, Azizabad (Mughalabad), Abid Majeed Road, R.A.Bazar, Ch. Iqbal Road Chungi No 22, Tench Bhatta, Mohalla Hajian, Allama Iqbal Colony, Dispensary Ground, Mughalabad, Harley Street, Jan Colony, Rawal Town, Kamalabad, Dhoke Syedan, Bakra Mandi, Ghaziabad, Dhoke Ziarat Wapda Colony, Quaid-e-Azam Colony, Dhamial Road Ahmadabad, Defence Colony, Chamanabad, Afshan Colony, Dhoke Chudharian, Dheri Hasanabad, Tulsa Road, Lalazar, Lalkurti Tariqabad, Tahli Mouri, Saddar Bazar, Darayabad and others.

According to a Commissioner Office spokesman, the Commissioner had directed the authorities concerned to complete all the arrangements for the general elections as per the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Liaquat Ali Chatta had also ordered that the code of conduct issued by ECP should be implemented in letter and spirit, he said adding, all possible facilities should be provided to the voters and all the activities should strictly be monitored. Special security arrangements were also being finalized for the sensitive polling stations, he added.

Chief Secretary Punjab, Zahid Akhtar Zaman during a visit to Rawalpindi division directed the authorities concerned to finalize the best possible arrangements for general elections 2024, scheduled to be held on February 8. The Chief Secretary during the visit reviewed all the preparations including security being finalized for the general elections. The Chief Secretary also visited the special control rooms established for the elections and the sensitive polling stations of Rawalpindi. The Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Liaquat Ali Chatta briefed the Chief Secretary about all the arrangements. All the arrangements including security had been completed in a timely and efficient manner, he added.

The number of registered voters in Rawalpindi Division is approximately 7.5 million, the Chief Secretary was briefed and informed that 5,490 polling stations were established across the division, for which 3,604 buildings were being used. Additional arrangements for the security of the polling stations had been made while the control rooms had also been set up. Zahid Akhtar Zaman instructed that every possible step should be taken to implement the code of conduct, issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct free, fair and transparent elections.