PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan has completed all arrangements for holding of free, fair, transparent election 2013 in Khyber Pakthunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on Saturday (tomorrow) amid tight security measures to ward off the possibility of any untoward incident.
It is the first election in the country's parliamentary history, which is being conducted under an independent Election Commission after completion of five years parliamentary tenure of the elected Govt.
The general election 2013 will ensure smooth transition of power to another elected government and will strengthen democratic system besides carrying democracy a step forward.
The participation of all the mainstream political parties including nationalists, secular and religious parties besides independents in large number that showed their overwhelming confidence in the independent Election Commission and parliamentary democratic system.
The General Election, for the first time, is being held in the country where independent judiciary and free media fully functioning and all the national building institutions including army, judiciary are extending full support to Election Commission for holding of free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections.
Provincial Chief Election Commissioner, Sono Khan told media persons here that all arrangements have been completed for free, fair and transparent elections 2013.
He said foolproof security arrangements have been made for voters and polling staff in the polling stations. As many as 96,000 security personnel will protect the voters on the D-Day and foolproof security arrangements have made by the law enforcement agencies while, the army will be on the high alert especially in the sensitive areas and will be called in aid of the civil administration.
DG ISPR in his recent press conference here after attending a high level meeting presided over by Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani about security election plan for KP and Fata, have urged the voters to go to polling stations without any fear as "we are here to protect them".
The national building departments associated with the election job are also ready for the exercise of conducting polls and protect voters on polling day with the assistance of the army.
The Election Commission with the help of Army have transported ballot papers to all the districts of KP and agencies of Fata where general election would be held simultaneously across the country on Saturday May 11, 2013.
On Saturday (tomorrow), the polling will start from 8 a.m. and will continue till 5p.m without any break simultaneously through out the country including KP and Fata. May 11 would be public holiday and all Govt offices will be closed.
The Government of KPK has prepared a comprehensive and integrated security plan as 52000 policemen would also be deployed on the polling day for protection of security to voters in polling stations.
In addition to Quick Response Force, the Levy, FC, Police, Khasadar force will assist the civil administration in performance of their duties during elections.
Foolproof security would also be provided to voters coming to poling stations set up near IDPs camps. The IDPs have been directed to remain their camps so that they could exercise their rights of votes in a free and peaceful way.
According to Provincial Election Commission here, the returning officers and assistant returning officers have taken over the control of 9306 polling stations and 25184 polling booths in KP and 1208 polling stations and 3323 polling booths in Fata.
For 4 National Assembly and 11 Provincial Assembly constituencies of Peshawar, 972 polling stations and 2853 polling booths have been setup for 1393148 voters including 806301 male and 586847 female.
In addition to installation of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in sensitive polling stations, walk through gates will also be installed at polling stations as part of elaborate security arrangements for this momentous occasion. Ballot boxes, stationery, photographed voter lists and necessary material were handed over to the polling officers while the ballot papers will be distributed early in the morning on May 11.
All private and the government educational institutions have been closed down and will re-open on May 14.
Commissioner Peshawar Shahibzada told reporters that all the arrangements to hold free and fair elections in KP have been completed.
The seals of the ballot paper bags would be opened before all polling agents and the number of ballot papers received from the returning officer would be told to them.
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