Rawalpindi district police had made tight security arrangements for 2781 polling stations of Rawalpindi district while foolproof security was finalized for 580 most sensitive polling stations said City Police Officer, (CPO) Rawalpindi, Syed Khalid Hamdani. He said that polling process was going on in all the polling stations across the district under tight police security and over 10,000 police personnel were ensuring security and traffic arrangements in the district.
Polling was underway in 7 constituencies of the National Assembly and 14 constituencies of the Provincial Assembly across the district, he said adding, best possible arrangements were finalized to avoid any untoward incident. Foolproof security arrangements were made at 580 most sensitive, 980 sensitive and 1221 other polling stations, the CPO said.
He informed that Police and Elite Commandos in 280 clusters were patrolling near important places and on main roads of the district. Special pickets had been set up at the entrances and exits of the city and important places to ensure security, he informed. The CPO said that the situation was being monitored from the district control room as well as Rawalpindi police command and control room.
All senior police officers were monitoring the security arrangements in the field, he said adding, display of weapons was strictly prohibited. Implementation of the code of conduct issued by Election Commission of Pakistan was being ensured at all cost, Syed Khalid Hamdani said. Any violation of the law or code of conduct would not be tolerated and dealt with iron hands, the CPO said. All available resources were being utilized to provide a safe environment to the citizens to exercise their right to vote, he added. Erlier, Rawalpindi Region Police had finalized all the arrangements and more than 16,500 police and other law enforcement agencies personnel are performing security duties while 5,490 polling stations have been established in 13 constituencies of the National Assembly and 26 constituencies of the Provincial Assembly across the region.
In terms of sensitivity, there are 694 polling stations in Category A, 1371 in Category B and 3425 in Category C. According to Regional Police Officer, Rawalpindi region, Syed Khurram Ali, 2,519 CCTV cameras had been installed across the region to monitor the situation from the central control room. Syed Khurram Ali further said that the control rooms had also been set up in all districts while a central control room had been set up in the regional office.
The police force in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal along with other law enforcement agencies had also conducted a joint flag march, he added. The implementation of the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan is being ensured at all costs, Syed Khalid Hamdani said. A central control room had been established in Sports Complex Liaquat Bagh for monitoring the elections of National and Provincial Assemblies.
The focal persons of all the agencies concerned including District Administration, Police, Pakistan Army, and Rescue-1122 are present in the control room. Separate desks have been created for all the constituencies of Rawalpindi district. A media monitoring cell has also been set up in the control room. More than 9500 officers of Rawalpindi Police are performing security duty for the general election 2024.
