No decision has been made to suspend the mobile or internet service on 8th February: Dr. Gohar Ejaz
ISLAMABAD, Feb 06 (SABAH): Interior Minister Dr. Gohar Ejaz says all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful and transparent conduct of general elections on Thursday. He said that no decision has been made to suspend the mobile or internet service on 8th February. He said that due to security reasons if any province or district will make request for suspending the internet service it will be considered. He said that the elections will be held in peaceful manner and Election Commission of Pakistan will conduct the elections. He said that over 120 million Pakistanis will cast votes on 8th February.
Addressing a news conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi in Islamabadon Tuesday, Dr. Gohar Ejaz emphasized the people should come out on the polling day and exercise their right to vote without any fear or intimidation.
The Interior Minister said the civil armed forces, the armed forces and police as well as administration are working round the clock to ensure conducive environment on the polling day.
Gohar Ejaz said ninety thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven polling stations have been established nationwide. Of these, forty-four thousand polling stations have been declared normal, twenty-nine thousand nine hundred and eighty-five sensitive and sixteen thousand, seven hundred and sixty-six highly sensitive. He said each polling station will have deployment of seven to eight security personnel on average. He said about six hundred and fifty thousand security personnel have been deployed on the ground to ensure the security of the voters.
In his remarks, the Information Minister said despite all speculations, the general elections are taking place on Thursday. He said it is written in the preamble of the constitution that the country will be governed by its elected representatives. He said the Information Ministry has also launched an app for the facilitation of local and foreign journalists.