93pc polling stations in Karachi declared sensitive

9,400 Army, Rangers personnel to perform security duty during LB polls; ECP says election date not to be changed

KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared 93 percent of the polling stations sensitive ahead of the local bodies elections and summoned the Pakistan Army to assist it during the elections in Karachi.

The ECP has declared 1,791 areas, including Lines Area, Landhi, Ghans Mandi and Lyari extremely sensitive and have summoned 20 companies of the Pakistan Army to be deployed in the city for the polls, Secretary ECP Babar Yaqub confirmed on Saturday. A total of 9,400 Army and Rangers personnel will perform security duty in Karachi during the polls.

Chairing a meeting to observe preparations for the third phase of the LB polls, the ECP secretary said some of the federal institutions are not cooperating regarding the LB polls.

Provincial Election Commissioner Tanveer Zaki, Chief Secretary Sindh Siddique Memon, interior secretary and other high-level officials participated in the meeting. Babar Yaqoob said they are facing a lack of staff at all polling stations. He said that they have requested the deployment of the army in some polling stations due to security reasons.

The Election Commission secretary said that they have requested the deployment of 7,400 army soldiers on the occasion of the LB polls. He further said that all arms licences will be cancelled one day before the polls. He said the poll date will not be changed

Earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Thursday strongly demanded the deployment of army personnel inside and outside the polling stations during the third phase of LB elections in Karachi.—Originally published in The News