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A police personnel was killed in an armed attack on the office of the regional election commissioner in Turbat area of Pakistan's Balochistan, Pakistan-based Dawn reported citing police.
Speaking to Dawn, Kech Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Zia Mandokhel said that unknown assailants attempted to enter the office in the Zaraat area. He said that a policeman was killed after an exchange of fire ensued between the two sides, according to Dawn report. The deceased police personnel has been identified as Namrooz. The attackers fled from the spot. Mandokhel said law enforcement personnel were present at the site and were carrying out an investigation into the incident. The incident comes a day after Balochistan Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki said that the government had pledged to ensure the security of the candidates participating in the elections and maintaining law and order situation in Balochistan to hold the polls peacefully. Domki said Balochistan caretaker government had enhanced the measures taken for maintaining law and order situation during the electoral process. He also visited Turbat city to review the measures being taken to hold the upcoming polls in a transparent manner, Dawn reported. Last week, PPP candidate for the Balochistan Assembly Mir Asghar Rind survived a grenade attack in Turbat. On January 15, Government Model High School in Kharan was targeted by unknown men during a training session for polling staff. No one was injured in the attack, according to Dawn report. On January 18, Pakistan Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar had formed a seven-member committee mandated with ensuring the smooth conduct of the February 8 general elections as well as overseeing their security arrangements. Earlier this week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has categorised over 17,500 polling stations as highly sensitive, 32,508 as sensitive, and 42,500 as normal out of a total of 92,500 polling stations nationwide, ARY News reported. Polling stations are categorised into A, B, and C groups, determined by their sensitivity levels, sources said.Out of over 17,500 polling stations designated as highly sensitive across the country due to concerns about potential unrest, 6,599 are in Punjab and 4,430 are in Sindh, all of which are set to be monitored by CCTV cameras. A total of 2,038 polling stations in Balochistan and 4,344 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been categorised as highly sensitive, as per ARY News. In Pakistan's Punjab, 15,829 polling stations are classified as sensitive, 8,030 in Sindh, 2,068 in Balochistan, and over 6,000 polling stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fall under the sensitive category. The official polling scheme is to be revealed 15 days before the scheduled February 8 general elections.The ECP earlier released a code of conduct for security officials who will be deployed during the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024. The code of conduct binds the security officials, excluding the Armed Forces and Civil Armed Forces, to perform their duty in accordance with the law and cooperate with the presiding officers, returning officers (ROs) and polling staff. (ANI)
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