The Election Commission of Pakistan concluded on Saturday all preparations for the upcoming general electionsset to take place on February 8 (Thursday).
Over 120 million registered voters are poised to exercise their democratic right by casting votes for the national and four provincial assemblies.
The ECP has established a network of 90,675 polling stations spanning across all four provinces. Among these, 41,403 are combined polling stations, while 25,320 cater specifically to male voters, and 23,952 are designated for female voters.
A diverse pool of candidates, totalling 5,121, are vying for seats in the National Assembly. This includes 4,807 male candidates, 312 women candidates, and two transgender candidates.
The upcoming elections will take place for 266 general seats in the National Assembly and 593 general seats across the four provincial assemblies.
Additionally preparations for the upcoming general elections in Rawalpindi have reached a significant milestone with the training of 26,150 selected polling staff.
Balochistan’s Interior Minister Zubair Jamali has said that over 80 per cent of polling stations in the province have been categorised as “sensitive,” with 34pc marked as “highly sensitive.”
Only 19pc of polling stations in Balochistan have been identified “normal”, the minister said in an interview.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Balochistan government has also barred political parties from holding rallies and corner meetings.
In a directive from the district returning officer, it has been emphasised that telephone and internet connections be promptly installed at the 2,671 designated polling stations across Rawalpindi. School heads have been instructed to coordinate with Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited officials for immediate meetings to ensure swift installations.
By February 6, all polling stations are expected to have operational official telephone lines and internet connections, with heads reporting relevant details to the Election Commission of Pakistan on February 7.
District Returning Officer Hasan Waqar Cheema shared that a total of 2,671 presiding officers, 13,872 assistant presiding officers, 6,936 polling officers, and 2,672 naib qasids have been appointed for the elections, covering 2,671 polling stations and 6,936 polling booths in Rawalpindi.
To facilitate the distribution of polling boxes and stationery, all returning officers are summoned to the offices of presiding and polling officers at 10am on February 7.
The ECP issued guidelines to ensure security and transport for the polling staff and election material in reaching the polling stations and then returning safely back to the offices of the returning officers after polling.
