ISLAMABAD – Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has established a high-level committee to oversee security arrangements for the upcoming February 8 elections, addressing concerns raised by political figures regarding the prevailing law and order situation.
According to a notification issued by the PM Office, the seven-member committee, headed by Federal Minister for Communications, Railways, and Maritime Affairs Shahid Ashraf Tarar, was officially formed.
The committee comprises the secretary of the Ministry of Interior and the chief secretaries of all four provinces – Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab.
This committee’s formation comes in the midst of increasing apprehensions about security, with several politicians either demanding enhanced security measures or suggesting a possible delay in the elections due to the uncertain law and order situation.
Historically, election campaigns have been marred by instances of violence, with candidates and voters becoming targets of bombings and gun attacks.
In a recent incident, an independent candidate campaigning for the provincial assembly was killed, along with two aides, in a gunfire attack on his car last week, highlighting the risks involved in the election process.
Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Maqbool Baqar issued an order on Tuesday, warning about multiple reports of attacks on election candidates. He noted instances of candidates being kidnapped in broad daylight, describing it as a “rising tide of crime.”
The security situation in Pakistan has seen a significant challenge, with casualties reaching a six-year high last year, involving civilians, security forces, and militants.
