Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM, visits Dera Ismail Khan, ensures election security preparations

Islamabad [Pakistan], February 6 : Caretaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Arshad Hussain Shah undertook a visit to Dera Ismail Khan to evaluate the prevailing security conditions for the forthcoming general elections, as per reports from Dawn.

During his visit, the chief minister inspected a designated polling station and toured the modern command and control room established at Ejaz Shaheed Police Lines, overseeing the operational preparations.

Furthermore, he presided over a high-level meeting dedicated to ensuring the security and orderly progression of the impending elections, as reported by Dawn.

Discussions centered on the details of the security arrangements and the devised security blueprint for the electoral process.

According to Dawn, CM Shah reiterated the paramount importance of maintaining peace and tranquility throughout the general elections, underscoring the commitment of both civil administration and law enforcement agencies towards this objective.

Additionally, CM Shah said the peaceful conduct of the general elections was a top priority of the civil administration and police, adding that all available resources would be utilised for the purpose.

He pledged the comprehensive utilization of all available resources to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.

Ahead of the February 8 elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also completed the printing of 260 million ballot papers for all constituencies in the country ahead of the February 8 general elections.

As per an ECP spokesperson, "National Assembly ballots are identifiable by green paper, whereas Provincial Assembly ballots are printed on white paper. Except for 31 districts, the distribution of printed ballot papers has been finalised across the nation."

The printing process, which commenced on January 14, concluded on February 3. In compliance with a Supreme Court directive, ballot papers for 11 National Assembly and five Provincial Assembly constituencies underwent reprinting, with the original ones set for destruction as per the court order.

As per ECP officials, this time, a total of 260 million ballot papers got printed, reflecting a 54.74 per cent rise in candidates compared to the 2018 elections. Despite a 195 per cent surge in demand for special paper, effective management led to a reduction from 2400 tonnes to 2177 tonnes.

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