190 polling stations highly sensitive in Punjab metropolis
Pakistan Times National News Desk

LAHORE: As many as 190 polling stations in the provincial metropolis have been marked as highly sensitive, as the Capital City Police have announced its final security plan for the local government elections on August-25.

On other hand, the police have claimed the people involved in the display of arms during the LG elections here will be dealt with sternly and action against the violators of law will be taken promptly and without any discrimination.

SSP (Operation) Aamer Zulfiqar Khan gave this commitment while chairing a meeting for the finalisation of the security plan on election day.

According to the excerpts of the security plan decided in the meeting of SSP (Operation) with other police officers, the provincial metropolis has been divided into 72 sectors.
The SHO of the area will be in charge of the sector concerned while the sub-inspectors will be appointed as in charges of 171 sub-sectors.

The in charges of the sub-sectors will be equipped with wireless sets and cell-phones and in case of any emergency they will immediately pass information to their sector in charges and the divisional SPs.

The divisional SP himself will rush to the spot and will report back to the SSP (Operation) about the situation. Every sub-sector will be consisting of 14 to 17 polling stations.

Contingents of reserve police force under the supervision of the police official in rank of DSP will be deployed in four such spots in every division from where they can reach the trouble spot within 10 to 15 minutes.

Similarly, other contingents of reserve police force will be deployed at ‘chowks’ and main roads in sensitive areas so that voters may not feel sense of insecurity.

According to the security plan, additional force will be deployed in all 190 highly sensitive polling stations while divisional SPs will keep a vigil on the situation there.

Entire police force at all the police stations will ensure presence on the night between 24th and 25th of August while reserve police force battalions will perform their duties at important places and government offices.

Over 8,000 police personnel and Civil Defence officials will do law and order duties on the election day.

As many as 30 contingents of reserve police force will remain present at district police lines and will be rushed to the places where emergency situation arises. Two reserve police force contingents will also accompany every divisional SP on patrol.

SSP (Operation) has also directed to deploy woman police at ladies polling booths. He further directed to make sure that list of phone numbers of all the polling stations and in charges of all the sector in charges and sub-sector in charges are present with Police Emergency Helpline (15).

The divisional SPs have also been directed to keep a close liaison with returning officers concerned.●