RAWALPINDI: Following disqualification of former prime minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case, the provincial election commissioner has directed the inspector general of police to make foolproof security arrangements for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) offices across Punjab as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has planned protests there.
In a letter to the provincial police chief, the election commissioner said it had been learnt through media that PTI has planned to stage protests at the ECP offices across the province against the disqualification of the PTI chairman. In view of the protest call, the security of the provincial election commissioner office as well as field offices in Punjab should be tightened to avoid any untoward incident.
The election commissioner asked the inspector general of police that special security arrangements be put in place for the office of ECP in Lahore as well as regional offices in Punjab from Oct 21 till the normalisation of the situation. The ECP on Friday disqualified Mr Khan for making a “false statement and incorrect declarations” in the Toshakhana case, sparking countrywide protests by PTI leaders and workers.
Tight security measures had been put in place to avoid any untoward incident as a large number of PTI workers were present outside the ECP in Islamabad when the PTI chairman was disqualified.
Security arrangements in capital
On the other hand, the Islamabad police have chalked out a special plan for the deployment of police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) to check criminals and terrorist activity in the capital territory. The deployment plan issued by the senior superintendent of police operations has been divided into three shifts, each for eight hours.
The concerned SHOs have been assigned to provide arms and other security gadgets to the police personnel who will be deployed at checkpoints as the shift in-charge will be responsible for checking the staff at pickets. The police deployed at each checkpoint will be provided one bulletproof barricade, SMG double magazine with 60 rounds, two 9mm pistols, bulletproof gents helmet, five reflecting jackets, one stop sign, two torch lights, one search light and one wireless set, four handcuffs, two iron suitcase, one blue revolving light, two large size umbrellas and four raincoats.
(Daily Dawn)
**************