Gohar Ejaz pledges robust security for polls

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Interior Minister Dr Gohar Ejaz on Tuesday expressed his commitment to ensure robust security for the general elections scheduled to be held on February 8 (Thursday).

Speaking at a joint press conference, he outlined the government’s comprehensive preparations in place for the elections.

Gohar Ejaz was flanked by Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi and Federal Secretary for Interior Aftab Akbar Durrani.

Highlighting the security measures, he assured that there would be no compromise on maintaining law and order during the elections, the official news agency reported.

Gohar Ejaz underscored the collaboration between security agencies and the administration to prevent any unlawful interference.

He emphasised the presence of trained commandos in Balochistan and the support of the armed forces in ensuring the safety of the electoral process.

Providing an overview of the election preparations, the interior minister shared that out of 90,777 polling stations across the country, 44,000 were declared normal, 29,985 deemed sensitive, and 16,766 labelled as highly sensitive.

He reassured the public that security would be deployed in three levels, with 7 to 8 law enforcers stationed at each polling station.

Despite concerns and challenges, Dr. Ejaz expressed the hope for a “transparent”, and peaceful election.

He urged the public to exercise their right to vote with confidence, acknowledging the dedication of the 511,000-strong police force guarding the polling stations.

The minister recounted his visits to Karachi and Balochistan, addressing specific challenges in each region.

In Sindh, Gohar Ejaz noted the absence of enmity between political parties, while in Balochistan, he highlighted the disruptive actions of terrorists tarnishing Pakistan’s image.

Dispelling rumours surrounding the elections on February 8, Gohar Ejaz clarified that, as of now, no decision had been made to shut down mobile or internet services.

However, he emphasised that, if necessary, considerations would be made based on security requests from specific districts or provinces.