Pakistan: Karachi city police chief seeks 20,000 personnel, PKR 100 mln for election conduct

Karachi [Pakistan], December 16 (ANI): Karachi city police chief Khadim Rind informed the provincial interim government that they would need PKR 100 million for election-related expenses and over 20,000 personnel to overcome the shortage, Dawn News reported on Friday.

It reported quoting a city police spokesperson, that in a meeting held to review arrangements for the February 8, 2024 general elections, senior officials of the Sindh government and zonal DIGs of different police units exchanged views about security measures, the allocation of sufficient manpower and budget for the polls.

The police chief asked for extra manpower from the top bureaucrats of the city and provincial bureaucracy.

The budget proposal for meeting expenditures for performing security duty during the polling also came under deliberation, and it was stated that at least PKR 100 million would be needed for that purpose.

As for the manpower, the police authorities asked the government to provide personnel from Excise Department, the Anti-Encroachment Cell and other departments for overcoming shortage of manpower, as an estimated 45,000 manpower would be needed to provide security during the elections.

The city police chief directed the zonal DIGs and SSPs to chalk out security plans. Mr. Rind said that providing foolproof security to maintain law and order during the elections would be their top priority.

Earlier today, Hours after Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruling, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday night issued the election schedule for the general polls set to take place on February 8, 2024, Dawn reported.

The polling process will begin on December 19, when the returning officer (RO) will issue a public notice, while the ECP will also resume training for the ROs and district returning officers (DROs).

The election programme also applies to the reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the national and four provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

Notably, the commission issued the election schedule late at night in line with the Supreme Court’s orders.

In a hiccup with the polling process, the Lahore High Court suspended the commission’s notification for the appointment of the ROs and DROs from the executive branch–in defiance of the SC’s orders, Dawn reported.