60,000 troops deployment in NWFP on election day, Afghan Refugees restricted to camps

CNews Peshawar: The NWFP government has decided for deployment of 60,000 officials of Law Enforcing Agencies at all the polling stations in NWFP for ensuring smooth holding of elections on Feb 18.This was disclosed by Special Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Department NWFP, Muhammad Khalid Khan Umerzai while briefing newsmen about security plan for Feb 18 elections.He said NWFP has been divided into four categories including most sensitive, very sensitive, sensitive and normal.Five districts including Charsadda, Swat, Shangla, Tank and Malakand have been categorized as most sensitive districts. While Bannu, Lakki, D.I.Khan and Lower Dir are declared as very sensitive districts.In the category of sensitive districts include Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Hangu, Upper Dir, Buner, Manshera, Battagram and Kohistan.Whereas, Nowshera, Swabi, Abbotabad, Haripur and Chitral have been categorized as normal districts.For the administrative control of the province on election day, NWFP has been divided into seven regions headed by DIGs. These regions include Peshawar, Kohat, Hazara, Malakand, Mardan, Bannu and D.I.Khan.He said a total of 60,000 personnel of Law Enforcing Agencies including FC, will be deployed in NWFP.He also informed that Pak Army will assist Law Enforcing Agencies in case of need. Army will be on call in the whole NWFP and assist the security personnel when need arises, he added.The provincial government, he added, has decided to restrict movement of Afghan Refugees to their camps. The Police department has also been directed to keep a check on movement of Afghan Refugees. He said presently there are 1.3 million Afghan Refugees in NWFP.About the polling stations, he said, total number of polling stations in NWFP are 7931 out of which 1094 are declared as most sensitive, 3219 are sensitive and 3618 are normal.He said the total numbers of national assembly constituencies on which polling will be held on Feb 18 are 35. While in provincial assembly constituencies polling will be held on 96 out of 99 seats. Three candidates of provincial assembly constituencies in Upper Dir, Swat and Battagram have been died and therefore polling has been postponed.Special Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs requested the foreign observers media persons working for foreign news organization to informed Home department about their movement on polling.He also informed that movement of foreign observes in eight districts of NWFP has been banned which include Swat, Shangla, Lower Dir, Malakand, Hangu, Bannu, Tank and FR Kohat (Dara Adam Khel).About brandishing of arms, he said all the DPOs have been directed to ensure ban on display of arms. However, he added, candidates are allowed to keep some arms with their bodyguards for security reasons. All the DIGs and DPOs have been instructed to cooperate and keep in touch with newsmen and foreign observers and provide them all information in case of happening of any untoward incident.