KP short of 42,000 cops for polls duty

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police is short of 42,000 personnel to ensure adequate security for the upcoming general elections in the province, it was learnt.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akhtar Hayat Khan confirmed that the province needed additional 42,000 personnel for security of the polls.

According to reports, the current strength of the KP police stood at 92,360 while the required strength was around 135,000. Earlier, the province had demanded a strength of 149,777 policemen for the polls duty.

There has been in uptick in terror attacks across KP in recent months. The governor of the province recently told media persons that candidates in some areas of the province expressed concern over the prevailing law and order and had complained they were unable to run their election campaigns.

Reports said over 15,737 polling stations would be set up in KP for the polls. Around 4,812 of polling stations have been declared sensitive.

Meanwhile, candidates continued filing nomination papers after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) extended the period for the purpose until Sunday.

Senior political leaders from different parties submitted nomination papers in Peshawar and other districts.

According to an official of the election commission, 70 women submitted nomination papers for reserved seats of National Assembly and 229 for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly till Friday. Besides, 64 candidates from KP filed nomination papers for the seats reserved for minorities.

As per the revised schedule, the scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted by December 30. Candidates will be allotted election symbols on January 13 and polls will be held on February 8.