ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Interior Minister, Dr. Goher Ejaz, on Tuesday expressed his commitment to ensure robust security for upcoming general elections scheduled to be held on February 8.
Speaking at a joint press conference, he outlined the government’s comprehensive preparations in place for the upcoming elections.
The minister was flanked by Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi, and Federal Secretary for Interior, Aftab Akbar Durrani.
Highlighting the security measures, Dr. Ejaz assured that there would be no compromise on maintaining law and order during the elections.
He underscored the collaboration between security agencies and the administration to prevent any unlawful interference.
Dr Ejaz emphasized 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 labeled 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 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 poling stations.
Caretaker Interior Minister Dr Gohar Ejaz on Tuesday said that the government would consider suspending the internet services on February 8 only if it gets a request from a district or province in view of the security situation.
“So far, there has been no decision made regarding the suspension of internet services at any place,” said the minister during a presser in Islamabad alongside caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi.
Solangi said that on February 8 over 120 million Pakistanis would cast their votes to elect public representatives of their choice to run the affairs of the state as envisaged in the Constitution
Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Interior Dr. Gohar Ijaz he said that last year on August 17, 2023, after oath-taking of the caretaker cabinet, he had committed in a press conference that the caretaker government would provide all possible assistance to the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct free and fair elections.
He said that rumour-mongers’ claims, that elections would not be held on one or the other pretext and caretaker setup would linger on, had proven wrong.
The minister said that the Ministry of Information yesterday had launched an online media helpline for the convenience of local and foreign journalists during the elections.
He said that the Pakistani nation had been fighting the scourge of terrorism for decades and between 2008 and 2013 law and order situation was not good. The 2008 elections had to be postponed for one month following the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto. He said that a few incidents of terrorism could not deter the masses who would come out to use their right of vote in a large numbers to elect their representatives to run the affairs of the state.
