ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior released its report on Tuesday regarding the military’s deployment during the upcoming elections on February 8, as the polls are quickly approaching.
This development follows the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) request for the deployment of 277,000 army personnel nationwide to uphold law and order and security in the 126 million electorate that will select its MPs next month.
As 2023 closes in on one of the worst terror-related years since 2015, concerns over the safety and security of voters and candidates are a major factor surrounding the nation’s impending polls.
Political parties are still trying to win over voters during the election despite a number of violent occurrences and attacks on candidates;
Politicians, however, have expressed concerns about the state of peace and order; some have even moved the Senate to request a poll delay in this respect.
Kaleemullah Khan, an independent candidate seeking to run in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s PK-104 seat, was shot and killed earlier this month in North Waziristan.
Shah Khalid of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was also slain in Swabi a few hours later when unknown attackers on a motorcycle opened fire on his vehicle.
Aslam Buledi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Mohsin Dawar of the National Democratic Movement (NDM), Lala Abdul Rasheed of the National Party, and Senator Kohda Akram Dashti of the National Party have all faced criticism this month.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has established a high-level committee in response to the unstable situation.
