General election: Caretaker CM asks police to create quick response force

PESHAWAR: Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Dost Muhammad has asked the police to create the quick response force to manage affairs, before, during and after polling in the upcoming election to deal with any eventuality.

“Intelligence gathering, intelligence sharing and coordination amongst the intelligence agencies was the key for the successful conduct of polls in the province,” he told a high-level meeting convened to review the level of preparedness of police for elections in the province.

Chief Secretary Muhammad Azam Khan, Inspector General of Police Salahuddin Mahsud, administrative secretaries and police officials attended the meeting.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Muhammad Ali Babakhel presented a detailed sketch of the police mobility and preparedness for the general election in the province.

He presented the strength and weaknesses, the challenges and the willingness and preparedness of the police force to overcome these challenges.

Addressing the participants, the caretaker chief minister directed officials to monitor both the frequented and unfrequented routes to stop infiltration of miscreants into the province.

He said he would start meeting the political leaders soon so that “we could share experiences for the successfully conducting the elections.”

“We would tell them our side of the story and the level of preparedness for the elections and would also listen to them for their suggestions leading to the peaceful, free, fair and transparent conduct of elections in the province,” he said.

The meeting was told about the SOPs for the conduct of corner meetings and public gatherings in the province.