Islamabad, Oct 6 : Security has been beefed up across Pakistan for the 14th presidential election being held today.

The polling will take place at the Parliament House and all the four Provincial Assemblies.

The Election Commission (EC) has made all necessary arrangements for the Presidential elections, said EC Secretary Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad.

The polling will take place simultaneously at the Parliament House, and at the provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan, he added.

Special security arrangements have been made by the Islamabad Administration and the provincial governments to ensure the smooth conduct of polling.

According to The News, the Sindh Government has banned rallies, processions and public gatherings by clamping Section-144 from October 6 to October 9.

Six close circuit cameras will keep close watch around the Sindh Assembly premises and the roads leading to the assembly have also been blocked.

At least 4800 policemen are deployed around Punjab Assembly and Mall Road.

President Pervez Musharraf, People’s Party’s candidate Makhdoom Amin Fahim, lawyer’s candidate Justice (retd) Wajihuddin and Faryal Talpur are in the run for the presidential election.

Total 43 candidates submitted their nomination papers on September 27, of which the EC accepted only six candidates including President Pervez Musharraf, Faryal Talpur, Muhammadmian Soomro, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Justice (retired) Wajihuddin Ahmed and Amir Hussain.

Later, Amir Hussain had withdrawn his nomination papers.

Earlier this week, the 10-member larger bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court had decreed that the presidential election would be held as scheduled on October 6, but the results of the presidential election would not be announced until October 17.

The Supreme Court said that no winner could be announced until it has ruled on whether Musharraf can stand for re-election in uniform.

President Musharraf is expected to be able to easily muster a majority in the national parliament and four provincial assemblies that select the President.

But the court ruling means that even if he gets most votes, he cannot be declared the winner until the court has decided if he was a valid candidate in the first place. (ANI)