Official urges adherence to general election SOPs

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Commissioner Dera Ismail Khan Division Zafarul Islam Khattak said on Friday that all the SOPs issued regarding the general elections would be implemented.

While presiding over a meeting regarding the arrangements for the general elections, he asked political parties to implement the SOPs, action would be taken against them.

A thorough discussion of the SOPs released for the next general election was the main focus of the meeting, which was attended by the regional police officer, regional election commissioner, deputy commissioners, district police officers, representatives of political parties and officials from other departments.

The meeting aimed, according to Commissioner Zafarul Islam, to ensure that the election SOPs were well implemented and to increase public knowledge of them. He emphasised that the province administration had conveyed SOPs to all parties to promote an open and honest electoral environment.

As mandated by the SOPs, political parties are required to get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to oversee programmes and security, and to discuss with their respective deputy commissioners the calendar of the corner and weekly meetings. The commissioner made it clear that gatherings without the necessary NOC would be considered unlawful.

Zafarul Islam also stated that meeting site specifics would be released shortly, enabling interested parties to apply to have their events there. To avoid breaking the SOPs, he asked parties to make sure they closely followed the designated timings for public gatherings after receiving the NOC.