Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmad Bugti stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan would be given full security support for the upcoming general elections in order to ensure a peaceful environment. The elections are scheduled for February 8, and the ECP has requested the deployment of the army and civil armed forces outside polling stations due to a shortage of over 277,000 police personnel. Bugti assured that the caretaker government would provide all necessary facilities for transparently conducting the general elections and urged political parties to cooperate with law enforcement agencies before arranging any public or corner meetings for election campaigning. He also emphasized the importance of timely information about public gatherings for making better security arrangements.
Bugti also commented on the rising terrorism incidents in the country and stated that security institutions were fully alert to control terrorism. He warned that the country’s enemies were trying to sabotage the peaceful environment and that security institutions were taking all possible steps to defeat terrorism.
In addition to highlighting the recent increase in terror activities, the article also mentioned the doubts cast by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over the feasibility of the upcoming general elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan due to the security threats and unrest in those areas. Rehman called for a conducive environment for election campaigning and emphasized the need for a peaceful environment for the elections. He also mentioned forming electoral seat adjustment committees with the PML-N and the possibility of forming coalitions with other parties.