Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday directed the police department to demonstrate zero tolerance while maintaining law and order during the local government elections to be held in 14 districts of four divisions on June 26.
He also directed the Home Department to impose Section 144 against the display of arms and also asked the police to deploy Quick Reaction Force (QRF) in case of any emergency.
Murad Ali Shah issued these directives while presiding over a meeting to review the law and order situation and arrangements for local bodies election at the CM House.
The meeting was attended by IG Ghulam Nabi Memon, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo, Karachi Commissioner Iqbal Memon, Additional IG Javed Odho and DIGs concerned.
The commissioners of Mirpurkhas, Larkana, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas divisions attended the meeting through video link.
The CM told the divisional administration and the police to meet with the political parties and groups contesting the election and take them into confidence on the election code of conduct.
He was told that there would be 8,724 polling stations in all the 14 districts of which 1,985 had been declared most sensitive, 3,448 sensitive and 3,291 normal.
At this, the CM directed the commissioners concerned and the police to direct the political parties to keep their supporters/workers under control.
IG Ghulam Nabi Memon informed the chief minister that 26,545 policemen would be deployed at polling stations. He added that 9,925 policemen would be on duty at 1,985 most sensitive polling stations, 10,344 at sensitive polling stations and 6,276 at 3,291 normal polling stations.
As many as 10,644 QRF personnel would be deployed, therefore, the number of total deployment would come to 37,189, he added.
The IG told the chief minister that a police force of 12,012, including 300 from Karachi, 6,607 police training centres, 305 CTD, 200 crime branch, 4,100 Hyderabad and 500 from SRP had been arranged for their deployment at polling stations. The IGP said that a ladies police force of 4,287 was also being arranged for the election duty.
Shah directed the chief secretary to continue supervising the arrangements to avoid any untoward incident, whereas he directed the IG police to mobilise CCTV-mounted vehicles in polling areas for close monitoring of election-related activities.
Also, the government of Sindh on Tuesday banned display of arms throughout the province for a period of 60 days under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The Home Department of Sindh has issued a notification for the imposition of the ban on display of arms on the recommendations of the inspector general of police as a preventive measure to avert any untoward situation during the upcoming local government elections.
