Islamabad: Surveillance cameras will be installed at 20,000 sensitive polling stations across the country to strengthen poll monitoring during elections 2018, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced.
This measure was decided at a meeting held in Islamabad chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan to devise foolproof security arrangements for July 25 elections.
Some 20,000 of the total 86,000 polling stations for the next general elections have been declared sensitive which would be fitted with three to four closed-circuit television cameras across the country. “The responsibility of installing the cameras lies with the provincial government,” said ECP spokesperson Nadeem Qasim.
Besides CCTV monitoring, army personnel would also be deployed both inside and outside polling stations to ensure security during general election. The army will be providing security between June 20 to June 27 for the printing and distribution of ballot papers.
ECP would maintain close coordination also with the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to prevent any untoward incidents and to secure polling stations, according to Qasim. “A code of conduct for security personnel under clause 233 of the Election Act, 2017 has also been drafted,” he added.
During the meeting, it was also decided that offices and training centres of all returning officers be provided security. This would be the responsibility of the provincial governments. Moreover, all participating candidates in the election will also be offered security, according to a media release by ECP.
The training of presiding officers, district returning officers will begin after Eid holidays. He said a code of conduct will be drafted for officers participating in the polls, however, its implementation will lie with provincial government.
The meeting headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Mohammad Raza was also attended by the defence secretary and the newly appointed chief secretaries and inspectors general of police of all four provinces also attended the meeting.
Currently, the process of scrutiny of nomination papers filed by 19,500 candidates for upcoming elections is continuing. The data of the candidates had been shared with National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for verification. The process of scrutiny will be summed up by June 19 after which candidates can file appeals and the revised list of candidates will be published on June 28.
General elections will be held on July 25.
