As Pakistan gears up for its upcoming elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued stringent directives aimed at maintaining a fair and transparent electoral process. In a bid to uphold impartiality, the electoral watchdog has enforced strict guidelines barring government officers and employees from engaging in any election-related activities.

The ECP explicitly restricts government employees from participating in election-related events, emphasizing the importance of their neutrality during this crucial period. A conditional ban on holidays has also been imposed to ensure that government officers abstain from election activities, safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.

Approximately 17,500 highly sensitive polling stations nationwide will be under close surveillance through CCTV cameras. The Commission’s control room in Islamabad will commence operations imminently, overseeing the monitoring of these stations. The vigilant monitoring teams have swiftly acted upon any violations of the election code of conduct, initiating necessary actions to maintain the sanctity of the electoral process.

Furthermore, the ECP revealed plans to install CCTV cameras at more than 6,500 polling stations in Punjab, 4,500 in Sindh, 2,000 in Balochistan, and 4,500 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This meticulous monitoring process will persist until the finalization of the election results.

The control room in Islamabad, slated to begin operations from December 27, will serve as the nerve center, ensuring seamless coordination with various stakeholders, including Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) and District Returning Officers (DROs) throughout the electoral stages.

Additionally, the Election Commission has released priority lists for political parties vying for minority seats. Notably, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been excluded from these ongoing priority lists, signaling an interesting turn in the electoral dynamics.

Simultaneously, the electoral watchdog has launched a rigorous campaign to enforce adherence to the election code of conduct. Monitoring teams have taken swift action, removing promotional materials deemed in violation of the guidelines in Islamabad.