ISLAMABAD: The interim government of Pakistan has granted permits to foreign journalists for coverage of the upcoming general election scheduled for February 8, 2024.
In the initial phase, permits were issued to 35 foreign journalists from China, Japan, the United States, London, Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
The application deadline for foreign journalists seeking election coverage permits was January 20, 2024.
It is noteworthy that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reportedly printed 200,000 press accreditation cards for the coverage of the 2024 general election. Additionally, delegations from the European Union and Commonwealth countries are expected to visit Pakistan to observe the elections.
Earlier in the day, the ECP categorized polling stations nationwide, designating over 17,500 as highly sensitive, 32,508 as sensitive, and 42,500 as normal out of a total of 92,500 polling stations.
The sensitivity levels are classified into A, B, and C groups, with over 17,500 highly sensitive polling stations, including 6,599 in Punjab and 4,430 in Sindh, to be monitored by CCTV cameras due to concerns of potential unrest.
In Balochistan, 2,038 polling stations, and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 4,344 polling stations have been categorized as highly sensitive.
