Upcoming polls: Over 6521 cops to be deployed in Hazara

MANSEHRA: Over 6,521 police personnel would be deployed in five districts of Hazara division to thwart any untoward situation in the region during the election, an official communique said on Friday.

“I have personally visited three districts of Kohistan and held meetings with district police officers, district administrations and officials of Election Commission of Pakistan and sanctioned deployment of force by their demands,” said Deputy Inspector General of Police, Hazara Range, Muhammad Ijaz Khan.

According to figures released by the Police Department as many as 6522 police and Elite Force personnel would be deployed in Mansehra, Torghar, Kolai-Palas, Upper Kohistan and Lower Kohistan districts to maintain law and order during elections.

As many as 3,511 police personnel would be deployed in and outside of polling stations and sensitive points in Mansehra, 1029 in Torghar, 736 in Lower Kohistan, 726 in Upper Kohistan and 519 in Kolai-Palas. A total of 1,224 policing stations, including 902 in Mansehra, 123 in Torghar, 67 in Lower Kohistan, 73 in Upper Kohistan and 59 in Kolai-Palas, have been established.

A team led by the DIG after visiting targeted districts approved sensitive status for a total of 556 polling stations, including 413 of Mansehra, 62 of Torghar, 33 of Lower Kohistan and 24 each of Upper Kohistan and Kolai-Palas.

The tough security arrangements were also decided to put in place in a total of 154 polling stations after declaring them highly sensitive status in all five mentioned districts.

According to the breakup of the highly sensitive polling stations as many as 81 are in Mansehra, 29 in Torghar,15 in Lower Kohistan, 17 in Upper Kohistan and 12 are in Kolai-Palas.

“I have recently wrapped up my visit to the upper parts of Hazara division in order to review the law and order situation on the ground,” said the DIG.He added that the training process was also recently completed across the division.