Islamabad police have issued a security alert for the city ahead of the upcoming elections, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Wednesday.
All polling stations will be subject to strict screening of voters and staff, regardless of their attire or affiliation. Anyone wearing a uniform of police or any other organization will have to undergo the same search process as civilians.
More than 2000 police officers will be patrolling the city in official and non-official vehicles, which will be marked with Pakistani flags for identification. The flags will also be displayed on the vehicles of other agencies involved in the security operation.
The police have urged the public to cooperate with the security personnel and to leave their homes with extra time to account for the possible delays caused by the screening process. They have also assured that priority will be given to ambulances, fire engines and other emergency services vehicles in traffic low.
The security alert is aimed at ensuring a peaceful and fair conduct of the elections, which are expected to witness a high turnout of voters. The police have appealed to the citizens to exercise their democratic right and to report any suspicious activity or person to the nearest police station or helpline.