MUZAFFRABAD:
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has completed all necessary preparations to ensure the free, fair, and transparent conduct of voting in the first phase of elections scheduled across Mirpur division on Monday (today).
AJK Chief Secretary Khushal Khan and AJK Election Commission Secretary Raja Muhammad Shakeel told a joint news conference in Muzaffarabad said that the polling material has been dispatched to the polling stations.
The chief secretary and the AJK-EC secretary urged people to exercise their right to vote for the resolution of their issues in a democratic way. They warned of serious consequences in case of any attempt to disrupt the polling process or disturb the law and order situation.
They also urged the public to reject misleading propaganda about the elections circulating on social media. The AJK polls are scheduled in three phases with Mirpur division on Monday, Muzaffarabad on August 2 and Poonch on August 10.
Separately, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mirpur Khurram Iqbal said that a comprehensive and foolproof security plan had been put in place to maintain law and order and provide a secure environment for voters throughout the polling process.
He added that close coordination had been established among all security agencies to effectively respond to any untoward incident during polling. “A three-pronged-security strategy has been devised for all polling stations.”
According to the SSP, the polling stations have been categorised as highly sensitive, sensitive and normal, with personnel and resources allocated according to the security requirements of each location.
He added that 56 security sectors had been established across the district, each placed under the supervision of the respective deputy superintendents of police (DSPs). An effective monitoring and rapid response mechanism would remain operational in every sector.
“A separate contingency plan had been prepared for the second response force, while a third-layer security plan has also been implemented under the supervision of zonal commanders,” the SSP explained.
He reaffirmed that the district administration and all law-enforcement agencies were committed to ensuring that the electoral process remained peaceful, transparent and impartial. “Strict implementation of the Election Commission’s directives will be ensured.”
He appealed to all stakeholders to strictly observe the election code of conduct, cooperate with law-enforcement agencies and contribute towards maintaining a peaceful atmosphere to ensure the successful completion of the elections in Mirpur Division.
More than 1.4 million voters will cast their ballots in 13 constituencies of Mirpur division. A total of 2,454 polling stations and 3,701 polling booths have been established, while around 3,500 election officials have been deployed to conduct the polling process.
The voting will be held in four constituencies of Mirpur district, three constituencies of Bhimber district, six constituencies of Kotli district. In these areas, 1,965 polling stations have been declared sensitive or highly sensitive. Voting will continue from 8am to 5pm.
Extraordinary security arrangements have been finalised to ensure the peaceful conduct of the elections. More than 19,000 security personnel have been deployed across the division. Of these, 17,000 police personnel have been deployed, while 2,100 Army personnel will remain on standby as a backup force.
A total of 288 candidates are contesting these 13 Legislative Assembly seats in the division. However, as in previous elections, the main contest is expected to be among the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and, in some constituencies, influential independent candidates.
(WITH INPUT FROM APP)
