Arrangements to conduct free and transparent polling underway

FROM QAZI SHOAIB KHAN
DNA
ATTOCK (MARCH-20): All necessary arrangements of elections in five provincial assembly constituencies in Attock are being finalized to conduct free and transparent polling on the scheduled date of April 30, 2023. The District Election Commissioner Attock Noor ulKhitab while sharing the elections preparations with the media persons here on Monday hassaid that total 106 candidates include 13 candidates have filed nomination papers for PP1 Attock, 23 candidates for PP2 Attock, 23 candidates for PP3 Attock, 21 candidates for PP4 Attock and 26 candidates for PP5 Attock.
He said that scrutiny of the nomination papers is being finalized and final list of the candidates will be displayed as per the schedule while training of the staff deputed for election duty will be started in due course of time, as well. The scrutiny of their papers will be continued March 22, 2023.The candidates can withdraw their papers on April 05, 2023 and final list of candidates will be notified on the same day. The election symbols will be allotted to the contesting candidates on April 06, 2023 whereas polling will be conducted on April 30, 2023. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) extended the deadline for nomination paper filings till March 16 aiming to facilitate candidates vying for provin¬cial assembly elections of Punjab province.
According to ECP spokesperson, the ex¬tension was granted in re¬sponse to the demands of candidates and was aimed at providing ample time to complete the nomination process. the District Election Commissioner Noor ulKhitab saidthat there are 1319817 registered voters in Attock district in five provincial constituencies: PP I, II, III, IV and V. These registered voters include 684391 male and 635426 female voters. He said that 1069 polling stations will be set up which include 317 male, 298 female and 454 combined polling stations.the District Election Commissioner Noor ulKhitab while talking to this scribehas said that there are 1319817 registered voters in Attock district in five provincial constituencies: PP I, II, III, IV and V. These registered voters include 684391 male and 635426 female voters. He said that 1069 polling stations will be set up which include 317 male, 298 female and 454 combined polling stations.He said that total of 13417 personnel will be deputed which include 1069 presiding officers, 8232 assistant presiding officers and 4116 poling officers. He said that Deputy CommissionerAttock Rao Atif Raza was appointed as District Returning Officer, AC Hazro Kamran Ashraf as Returning Officer PP I Attock, AC Hasanabdal Dr Sana Ramchand as Returning Officer PP II Attock, ADC Waqar Akbar Cheema as Returning Officer PP III Attock, AC AttockShagufta Jabeen as Returning Officer PP IV Attock and AC Jand Muhammad Irfan as Returning Officer PP V Attock in pursuance of the orders of Provincial Election Commission, accordingly. Mr. Noor ulKhitab said the polling staff willalso beimparted necessary training to conduct the fair and transparent election process as per code of conduct. However, the contestant candidates have expressed their concerns over the prevalent changing scenario of the country with their views that electioneering of provincial assembly Punjab launched by 106 contestant candidates of different rival political camps in the inter provincial bordering district Attock plunged into a doldrums as a result of prevailing crisis arisen after the recent clashes between the PTI leaderships and PDM led government. They are now hanged at wait and see situation when the entire picture is clear despite filing their nomination papers in the five provincial assemblyconstituencies of PP1, PP2, PP3, PP4 and PP5 respectively.