Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Hassan Askari has said that a comprehensive plan has been devised for holding general elections in a peaceful atmosphere and a transparent manner.

Similarly, he said effective arrangements have been made for the protection of voters and polling staff at their designated centres. Restrictions on carrying mobile phones to polling stations will be ensured and instructions have already been issued to the concerned officials and agencies in this regard, he added.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Punjab Caretaker CM Hassan Askari said that special security arrangements have been made for sensitive polling stations. Similarly, all the necessary arrangements have been made to bring back ballot boxes to respective district returning officers from the polling stations, he added.

The Punjab caretaker chief minister further stated that as many as 47,473 polling stations have been setup for 141 National Assembly and 297 Provincial Assembly seats in Punjab and added that necessary facilities have been arranged at these polling stations. He said that important duty of holding national elections in a transparent and impartial manner will be performed appropriately, adding that casting vote is an important obligation and comprehensive steps have been taken at polling stations so that voters can use their right of franchise in a peaceful manner.

Hassan Askari said that best security arrangements have been made to maintain peaceful atmosphere on polling day and added that digital monitoring system for polling stations has been activated. Polling stations will be monitored through CCTV cameras and no one will be allowed to take law into one’s own hands.

He said that indiscriminate action will be taken on violation of code of conduct of election commission on the polling day. Caretaker provincial government has taken every possible step for free, fair and impartial elections and all parties have been given a level playing field during the election campaign. That is why electoral campaign has ended in a peaceful manner in the Punjab. Today (Wednesday) is an important day in national history, he said.

The caretaker Punjab CM said that the interim provincial government has made all the necessary arrangements for impartial elections and special attention has been given to the aspect of security along with availability of necessary facilities at polling stations so that voters could independently use their democratic right, Askari added.

Askari expressed a deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives in a road accident near Jahanian.

He has extended sympathies to the heirs and directed to provide best treatment facilities to the injured. He has also sought a report from the administration about the accident.

Published in Daily Times, July 25^th 2018.