MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government and election commission have established a coordination cell to monitor arrangements for upcoming general elections in the region to be held on July 25.
A high level meeting chaired by chief secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan and attended by additional chief secretary General Syed Asif Hussain Shah, Inspector General Police Sohail Habib Tajik, senior member board of revenue Fiaz Ali Abbasi, divisional commissioners, DIGs, special secretary home affairs, deputy commissioners and officers of election coordination cells, decided to bring out all resources for holding free, fair and transparent elections in the region.
The meeting also decided to improve coordination between election cell and chief secretary office to ensure implementation of code of conduct issued by election commission and to handle the situation during and after the elections in better way.
All the district officers were directed to arrange video conference facility and ensure their attendance in election related meeting through video link and utilized the funds provided for the purpose in accordance with given instruction to deal with any emergency situation.
The meeting was briefed that the officials were in contact with the concerned officials of central government regarding security matters and deployment of army and rangers will be ensured soon in the region for security purpose during the election.
The deputy commissioners have also been directed to establish control rooms at their respective district regarding elections without compromising security issues and ensure implementation of code of conduct issued by election commission to hold election in peaceful environment and transparent manner.
The administrative officers were also directed to take quick action to stop external interference in election process and maintain law and order so as people can participate in the process in peaceful environment.
Additional chief secretary general Syed Asif Shah told the meeting that election cells had been established at capital and divisional headquarters with GPS system and asked district officers to better plan the strategy through this GPS system.
Inspector general Sohail Habib Tajik informed the meeting that he was in close contact with the police chiefs of neighbouring provinces to seek any assistance for enforcement of law during the election and elaborated the plan regarding deployment of army and rangers in high risk areas.