ISLAMABAD, 25 August 2005 — Pakistan’s Election Commission has finalized all arrangements for the second phase of municipal elections today. In this phase polling will be held in 55 districts spread over four provinces.

The polling will start at 8 a.m. and end 5 p.m. to elect councilors, mayors and deputy mayors of 3,053 councils. About 30,542,255 voters will exercise their right of franchise amid heightened security measures with Pakistan Army troops being on high alert particularly in areas that have been declared “sensitive.”

Corps. Commander Lt. Gen. Syed Ather Ali said army’s deployment had begun in the sensitive areas of Sindh. There are four sensitive areas — Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Sukkur and Larkana, where the deployment has begun, he said during a visit here.

Lt. Gen. Ather arrived here to monitor the steps being taken by the army, the Rangers and the police regarding the elections. He said police will be present inside the polling stations, while the army and the Rangers will be deployed outside to ensure security.

Acting Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar said, “All arrangements for holding elections in the second phase in a peaceful and transparent manner have been made.”

He said besides police, law-enforcement agencies personnel would be deployed at sensitive polling stations during the polling to ensure incident-free polling. The presiding officers will sentence those creating disturbances on the spot, he said.

Dogar said allegations about barring women from voting were being investigated and reports have been sought from all district returning officers to the effect. The Election Commission, he said, had not received any complaints of rigging in the first phase. He hoped that the second phase too would be over amicably.

Polling was to be held in 56 districts in the second phase, but Dera Bugti has been excluded as all the councilors, mayor and deputy mayors in this district have been elected unopposed because of the massive influence of Nawab Akbar Bugti.

As many as 108,287 candidates including 23,841 female contestants are in the fray. There are 4,334 woman candidates in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in the second phase.

For Punjab’s 1,810 union councils, there are 67,448 candidates in the race; for Sindh’s 521 councils 18,516 candidates; for NWFP’s 430 councils 13,591 contestants; and for Balochistan’s 292 councils 8,732 candidates are in the field.

The election campaign ended late Tuesday, 24 hours before the start of the polling day.