Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the police department to demonstrate zero tolerance while maintaining law & order during local bodies election being held in 14 districts of four divisions on June 26.
He directed the Home department to impose Section 144 against display of arms during local bodies elections and also asked the police to deploy a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) in case of any emergency.”
He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting to review law & order situation and arrangements for local bodies’ election here at CM House. The meeting was attended by IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo, Commissioner Karachi Iqbal Memon, Adl IG Karachi Javed Odho and concerned DIGs. The commissioners of Mirpurkhas, Larkana, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas divisions attended the meeting through video link.
The CM told the divisional administration and the police to meet with the political parties and groups contesting the election and take them into confidence in respect of code of conduct.
The chief minister was told that there would be 8724 polling stations in all the 14 districts of which 1985 have been declared as most sensitive, 3448 sensitive and 3291 normal. At this the chief minister directed the concerned commissioners and the police to discuss the candidates and their party leadership to keep their supporters/workers under control. “If the candidates show restraint and understanding of the situation the number of the most sensitive polling stations would come down,” he said.
The IG police, Ghulam Nabi Memon told the chief minister that 26545 policemen would be deployed at the polling stations in the light of their sensitivity. He added that 9925 policemen would be on duty at 1985 most sensitive polling stations, 10,344 at sensitive polling stations
and 6276 at 3291 normal polling stations.
10,644 QRFs would be deployed as directed by the CM; therefore the number of total deployment would come to 37189.
The IG told the chief minister that a police force of 12012, including 300 from Karachi, 6607 police training centers, 305 CTD, 200 crime branch, 4100 Hyderabad and 500 from SRP have been arranged for their deployment at the polling stations. The IGP said that a ladies police
force of 4,287 is also being arranged for the election duty.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary to keep the arrangements reviewed to avoid any issue.
Murad Ali Shah directed the IG police to mobilise CCTV-mounted vehicles in the polling areas for close monitoring of the activities.
