Over 43,000 law enforcement personnel deployed in Karachi LG polls

In the run-up to the second phase of local government elections in Karachi, more than 43,605 law enforcement officials and personnel will perform their duties under the security plan devised by the Sindh government.

According to the spokesperson of the province's police, 26,050 officers and personnel will be deployed on election duty at 4,997 polling stations in the city.

Across the 1,048 polling stations of District South, 5,844 officials, personnel and polling staff will be stationed, the spokesperson said.

At least 11,206 and 9,000 have been positioned in District East and West’s 2,046 and 1,903 polling stations, respectively.

Sindh Police spokesperson also informed about the deployment of 200 Frontier Corp and 500 Rangers personnel for election duty during Sunday’s local body polls in the metropolitan.

All possible measures are being taken to protect the life and property of citizens, the spokesperson stated.

More than 43,605 Karachi police personnel will perform security duty on the day of polling of which 17,588 will be posted in the East zone. Meanwhile, 6,533, 4,837, and 6,218 comprising officers, personnel and staff will be deployed in the District East, Malir, and Korangi, respectively.

The spokesperson added that 11,627, 2,155, 4558 and 4914 personnel have been stationed in the South Zone, District South, District Central, and Keamari, respectively.

Deployment of officers, personnel and staffers in the West Zone, District Central, and District West totalled 14,390, 9,672, and 4,718, respectively.

During the local government polls, 3,800 traffic police personnel will also perform their duties. They will be deployed to assist the administration at the polling stations.

ECP control room

Meanwhile, a central control room has been established at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretariat in Islamabad to monitor the second phase of local government elections being held in Karachi and Hyderabad on January 15 (Sunday).

ECP spokesperson said in a statement that the control room would start working from Saturday (January 14) and will continue uninterrupted operations till receipt of the last result.

Senior officers would monitor the election process from the control room, while the electoral body’s secretary and the special secretary would monitor the polling process from the office of the Provincial Election Commission Sindh in Karachi.

ECP warned that any interference or disruption in the polling process won’t be tolerated. Immediate action would be taken against election code violators.

The spokesperson added that polling-related complaints could be lodged round the clock on telephone no 051-9204402, 051-9204403, 051-9210837 and 051-9210838.

The complaints could also be faxed to the control room at 051-9204404 or emailed to [email protected]