BAHAWALPUR: A temporary communication network with the assistance of the army is likely to be established in a number of polling stations falling within the limits of several union councils (UCs) in Cholistan in Yazman tehsil of the district.

This was decided at a meeting presided over on Saturday by the district monitoring officer (DMO), Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ayub Khan.

The meeting was informed that several polling stations of the UCs located in the Cholistan area of Yazman lacked a communication system due to which the election results could not be transferred to authorities on time for their transmission to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

When the DMO directed that a special communication plan be implemented on polling day to transfer results at the earliest, it surfaced that the polling stations located in the desert area did not have any communication arrangements. A major portion of the tehsil comprised the desert where no mode of communication or mobile networks existed.

The meeting decided to install a temporary communication system with the help of Pakistan Army to facilitate the polling staff to transfer election results to the respective returning officers.

The DMO also directed the district’s civil defence officer to deploy razakar in all tehsils for assisting District Police Officer Dr Muhammad Iqbal.

It was pointed out that there were 68 sensitive polling stations in the district where special security measures, particularly installation of CCTV cameras would be ensured.

DISMISSED: PPP south Punjab President Makhdoom Ahmad Mehmood has dismissed two office-bearers in the city. They were city President Tatheerul Hassan and his Secretary Aslam Channar.

Both office-bearers have been sacked on charges of supporting rival candidates. The PPP has issued tickets to former MPA Syed Irfan Gardezi and Asim Abbasi for NA-170 and PP-246, respectively. But Ahmad Mehmood charged Tatheerul Hassan and his Secretary Aslam Channar of helping Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidates Samiullah Chaudhry for PP-246 and Farooq Azam Malik for NA-170.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2018