LAHORE, Feb 13: Two coordination meetings between the army and the police held separately at 10th Division and 114 Brigade on Wednesday to review the security and flag march plan on the eve of general elections in the provincial capital, informed sources told Dawn.

General Officer Commanding, 10th Division, Major Gen Shaukat Sultan, presided over a meeting in this regard which was attended by SSP (operations) Aftaab Ahmed Cheema and nine divisional SPs.

The second meeting was presided over by brigade commander at his office.

Sources told Dawn that the meeting discussed in detail the deployment plan in troubled constituencies, at sensitive polling stations and booths, besides the route of the flag march.

The sources said mode of deployment was not yet finalised but the requisition of army and Rangers had been decided. The deployment of army and Rangers would begin from Feb 15, they added.

“Four battalions of Pakistan Army, comprising 3,400 personnel, and one wing of Rangers, comprising 730 personnel have been called for election duty who will act as reserve force with the police,” they said.

The provincial government could requisite the Rangers and army for law and order duties under section 145 of CrPC.

The meeting was informed that 250 polling stations had been declared sensitive in the city district where there was a possibility of sabotage and violence.

The meeting was informed further that law and order situation could prevail at the sensitive polling stations.

RANGERS DEPLOYED: Rangers will also be deployed in some other parts of Punjab on Wednesday for law and order duty during general elections, officials told Dawn.

According to official requisition schedule, Rangers have been called for four days, from Feb 16 to Feb 19, but the deployment was carried out in remote districts from Wednesday.

Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) Director General Maj Gen Muhammad Haroon Aslam paid a visit to Faisalabad, Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan districts to review the deployment.

The DG met the officers and jawans there and directed them to remain vigilant to cope with any untoward situation during the elections.

He will conduct more visits to other districts to supervise the deployment according to the plan.

Meanwhile, revising the police deployment plan for Feb 18 elections and adopting a pro-active approach, the provincial government has increased the number of personnel from 10,600 to 16,300 to avert violence and terrorism threat in the city district.

Capital City Police Officer (additional IG) Malik Muhammad Iqbal told Dawn on Wednesday that the number of special police personnel had also been revised upward from 5,120 to 7,444.

“At least 76 pickets, each manned by four police officials, are being set up in the areas and polling stations in addition to regular force where display of weapons by the political parties is apprehended on polling day,” he said.

The CCPO said extra-ordinary police deployment on polling stations and maximum use of mobiles would help minimize the chances of trouble on the polling day.