ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Police in eastern Kunar province have stepped up measures to provide security to presidential candidates during the campaign period and on voting day.
All security measures have been put in place for the protection of election activities, particularly electioneering, in the province, said Kunar police chief Lt. Col. Shafiqullah Sahar.
He told Pajhwok Afghan News that a number of candidates had opened their campaign offices in the province but police had received no official letter to provide these offices security.
“We have prepared our own plan for security of election campaigns, police would ensure security for all candidates who campaign in Kunar,” he said.
He said police were also ready to ensure security of electioneering events in rural areas of the province.
Sahar said there were 110 polling stations in Kunar and 76 of them faced no security threats. However, he said 20 polling stations faced middle level threat and 14 others high level threats.
He said Afghan forces would soon launch a clearing operation in areas where polling stations were under high threat to ensure security of voters and election workers there.
He added Afghan forces would ensure security in 90 percent areas of Kunar province during the September 28 presidential election.
“All government departments including judiciary organs are active in all districts of the province,” he said, adding tourists from other provinces visited Kunar due to good security here.
About the presence of Daesh or so called Islamic State (IS) fighters in Kunar, he said the group had been defeated in the province and only a few remnants were active in mountainous areas such as in Shurik, Dewgul, Chapari and Baidal regions.
Sahar said 3,000 families, who were displaced as a result of clashes between Daesh and the Taliban militants in the province, had returned to their areas.
He said police had ordered illegal smuggling of timber in Kunar besides controlling other illegal activities in the province.
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