ISLAMABAD – All arrangements, including security measures, for by-elections set to be held on Sunday in 20 constituencies in various parts of Punjab have been finalised.
The 20 seats of Punjab Assembly fell vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan de-seated the PTI lawmakers for giving vote to PML-N’s candidate Hamza Shahbaz Sharif in election for the chief minister’s slot.
Provincial Election Commissioner Punjab Saeed Gul said that process of training, allocation of polling staff and security of polling stations has been completed.
He said that sensitive polling stations will be monitored through CCTV. He expressed his resolve of holding a transparent by-election. He said that election campaign will be ended on 12 am tonight.
PTI and PML-N are the key rivals in the by-elections and former’s victory could cost Hamza Shahbaz his chief minister’s post.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to deploy Frontier Constabulary besides Rangers for maintaining law and order situation during by-elections.
The decision was taken during a special meeting held in Islamabad on Friday regarding law and order arrangements in the by-elections. The meeting was chaired by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.
The forum decided that the violators of fire-arms ban orders will be immediately arrested and their arms will be seized along with revocation of license.
It was also decided to set up a special control room in the Interior Ministry on Saturday and Sunday to continuously monitor the law and order situation.
Speaking on the occasion, the Interior Minister said it is our national responsibility to ensure law and order in the by-elections. He said all resources will be utilized to make security arrangements as per instructions of the Election Commission during the by-elections.
The Minister said in the light of the letter of the Chief Election Commissioner, additional security personnel will be deployed in six highly sensitive constituencies of Punjab. The most sensitive constituencies include four in Lahore, one each in Bhakkar and Multan.
