AJK all set for elections on 25th

MUZAFFARABAD/ISLAMABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission has made fool-proof arrangements for holding free, fair and impartial elections for the AJK Legislative Assembly on July 25. This was stated by the AJK Election Commission Member Farhat Ali Mir while addressing a news conference along with the deputy election commissioner at a local hotel here. Farhat urged the media to cooperate with the Election Commission and supplement government’s efforts for holding free, fair and transparent elections.

He said Pakistan Army will be available at the polling stations to maintain law and order for peaceful conduct of elections adding that the army had no role in the election process and would be on the standby for a quick response. He said all arrangements had also been finalized for holding free and transparent elections in the 12 constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir refugees settled in Pakistan and urged the media to monitor the election process.

He said a special security plan had also been finalized for holding impartial elections in these constituencies.

He said 1700,000 male and 1400,000 female refugees living in Pakistan will exercise their right to elect their representative on July 25. He said 829 polling stations had been declared most sensitive and 1,200 sensitive.

He lauded the role of print and electronic media for giving extensive coverage to the efforts of the Election Commission for holding, free, fair and transparent elections. Meanwhile, the Islamabad police have devised a security plan for the polling stations to be set up in the federal capital in connection with the elections.

According to the police, nine polling stations would be set up in the capital city where 329 law-enforcing agencies' personnel, including 45 personnel of Pakistan Rangers and the capital police officials, would be deployed.

Additional police force would also be on the standby to meet any emergency situation. SSP (Operations) Dr Syed Mustafa Tanveer had a meeting with the officials concerned on Thursday to chalk out a strategy in this regard.

Additional SP Farhat Abbas Kazmi, SP (Rural) Nosherwan, SDPOs and SHOs of the city and rural zone attended the meeting. The SSP directed the officials to ensure that poling camps were at least 400 meters away from the polling stations and allow nobody to display firearms in the city.