Daily Times

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan said on Friday that all resources would be used by the supervisory officers for peaceful conduct of by-elections in 20 constituencies of 14 districts of the province.

While presiding over a meeting on security arrangements for the by-elections, he said that full implementation of the Election Commission code of conduct would be ensured and there would be no delay in taking strict legal action against violators without any discrimination, he added.

Sardar Ali Khan directed the Lahore police to take special measures in all four constituencies of the provincial capital, adding that fighting, firing into the air, and violation of the code of conduct would be unacceptable and there would be 100 per cent ban on display of weapons, firing into the air and use of private guards, he warned.

During the meeting, arrangements for deployment of security personnel for the by-elections, provision of security to the Election Commission staff and ensuring law and order situation were reviewed.

The IGP directed the officers to hold regular meetings with the district returning officers and district administration to implement the devised standard operating procedures (SOPs) for maintaining law and order.

He also tasked the Special Branch and intelligence agencies to prepare reports of conduct of field officers by secret monitoring during by-elections. He said that holding of election peacefully was an important responsibility of the Punjab police and any negligence or illegal activity would not be tolerated under any circumstances, he added.

The meeting was attended by Additional IG Special Branch, Additional IG Operations, Additional IG South Punjab, DIG Operations Punjab and CTD higher-ups, CCPO Lahore, RPOs and DPOs of 14 districts attended it video link.