The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has called a meeting for February 1 to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, just eight days before the country’s election. The meeting will be held at 3pm tomorrow.
The meeting comes after a PTI-affiliated candidate was shot dead in KP’s Bajaur. Two terror incidents were also reported in Balochistan, including a grenade attack on the PPP’s election office and the killing of a worker from the Awami National Party during an election rally. The incidents add to a series of attacks leading up to the elections, including a bomb blast at a PTI rally in Balochistan’s Sibi and armed attacks on the convoys of former MNA Mohsin Dawar and JUI-F’s Qari Khairullah.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has raised concerns over the escalation in violations ahead of the polls and called for action to identify and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Meanwhile, during the 262nd Corps Commanders’ Conference, the military reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring free and fair elections, stating that no one would be allowed to “indulge in violence in the name of political activity” and sabotage the democratic exercise.
The military also discussed the deployment of Pakistan Army troops to assist the ECP in conducting peaceful elections, while also addressing concerns about India’s actions and acknowledging steps taken against illegal activities and criminal mafias within Pakistan. The military paid tribute to the sacrifices of martyrs and emphasized the importance of continued focus on the training, administration, and morale of soldiers.