LG polls in cantonment boards today

Rawalpindi
The stage is set for holding the local body elections after 17 years in 42 cantonment boards of the country, including Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) and Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) today (Saturday), for electing councillors in 187 wards. The polling would be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The government has announced public holiday for ensuring large turnout of voters.
In Rawalpindi, elections in 20 wards would be held, 10 each RCB and CCB. In RCB 91 candidates are vying for the seats of councillors in 10 wards, while 76 are in the run in CCB wards numbering 10.
The concerned managements have set up 216 polling stations in RCB while 101 in CCB.
As a part of strict security arrangements in Rawalpindi District around 4,000 security officials have been deputed for security purposes including police, rangers and army jawaans besides volunteers which would perform their duties in the polling stations to prevent any kind of untoward eventuality during the polling day.
The electioneering by the candidates belonging to the different political parties and independent groups ended late Friday night.
Besides independent, 5 major political parties including, PML-N, PTI, PPP, JI, AML have fielded their candidates in the local elections for two Cantonment Boards in Rawalpindi including RCB and CCB.
Apart from those wards where the ex-councillors are contesting elections from PML-N, tough and neck to neck contest is expected between all candidates in remaining wards.
In Ward 10 of CCB, independent candidate, Salman Bhatti son of ex-councillor, late Azam Bhatti has clear edge over candidates fielded by major political parties particularly, PML-N and PTI. Salman Bhatti according to a survey conducted during electioneering enjoys support of the people in his ward only because of numerous basic works of high nature resolved by his late father, Azam Bhatti.
Similarly, the situation for PML-N and PTI candidates in Ward-8 of CCB looks tough if not difficult because here a staunch PPP worker, Auranzeb Qureshi now contesting elections on independent fold, looks heavy over them. PML-N has fielded new and little known candidate among the people, Chaudhry Khurram Shahzad because of which differences exists among the party workers and activists and it would certainly break the votes in his favour. Moreover, JI which has not fielded candidate in this ward has openly announced to support independent, Aurangzeb Qureshi who has also remained chairman of Butchers Association. Ward 8 mainly comprises of lower class segments including labourers, transporters, small traders, butchers and shopkeepers. In view of this situation, chances of Auranbzeb Qureshi looks bright to edge past his main rivals belonging to PTI and PML-N.
In Ward-9 of CCB, tough competition is likely to take place between ex-councillor, Raja Irfan Imtiaz of PML-N, Imran Babar of PTI and Mohammad Tahir Baloch of JI.
Meanwhile, according to the District Election Commissioner (DEC), Rawalpindi, Nadeem Zubair, all the five cantonment boards of district Rawalpindi including Rawalpindi, Chaklala, Murree, Wah Cant and Taxila have been divided into 785 statistical blocks and 34 wards wherein more than 5,000 government employees will perform duties. He said that 211 polling stations have been set up for 259,000 voters of Rawalpindi Cantonment and more than 200 government employees will do their duties on these polling stations. Likewise 86 polling stations have been established for 127,000 voters of Chaklala Cantonment Board and more than 1,000 government employees will perform their duties. A Control Room has been established at the Commissioner’s Office, Rawalpindi, where all government officials will monitor the election activities.
At least 115 polling stations for local body elections have been declared sensitive by cantonment boards of Rawalpindi and Chaklala and Pakistan Rangers has been put on high alert for the maintenance of law and order. Strict security management on the occasion has been directed. As many as 216 polling stations and 850 polling booths for 10 wards of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board have been established, while at least 68 polling stations have been declared most sensitive. Rangers would help police for maintaining law and order and Rangers would be put on high alert for sensitive polling stations. Polling station would be handed over to Rangers if required. Ninety polling stations and 350 polling booths have been set up at Chaklala Cantonment Board and at least 47 polling stations were declared sensitive.
Troops and police made a joint show of force here on Friday. Troops have been called out to ensure peaceful polling in the district, where 115 polling stations have been declared “sensitive” already. Heavily police contingents carried out a flag march on main Rawalpindi roads as to forewarn potential troublemakers.
In another move, the government has put state-run hospitals and Civil Defence officials on high alert to meet any emergency during the local body polls.
City Police Officer (CPO), Rawalpindi, said that police could not take any chances and would put in a more effective security plan for the polling day. “Strict security arrangements have been taken and nobody would be allowed to display weapons,” CPO warned.