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Terrorist attack in Pakistan? Concerned about political leaders, minister says
On whether armed forces will be in-charge of poll-related security duties, the minister said, “Our paramilitary forces are busy in counterterrorism."
Pakistan caretaker interior minister, Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti expressed concern that the political leaders in the country are facing terrorist threats ahead of elections in February, Dawn News reported. At a press conference in Islamabad, Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti highlighted a general threat to political figures. Political leaders in the country face significant challenges during public rallies and gatherings in the current climate of terrorism, he said.
There is a history of terrorist activities during election days as former premiers Shaukat Aziz and Benazir Bhutto, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri and Mir Siraj Khan Raisani, were targeted during election campaigns and political rallies from 2002 onwards, he said. On whether armed forces will be in-charge of poll-related security duties, the minister said, “Our paramilitary forces are busy in counterterrorism and other operations, but despite all this, we will meet the requirement of the Elections Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding the deployment of civil armed forces.”
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This comes as Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) wrote to the interior ministry seeking deployment of the army and civil armed forces outside the polling stations. The minister said that paramilitary forces that came under his command were busy in operations.
"Rangers are doing operations in katcha areas of Sindh in difficult conditions. FC (Frontier Corps) Balochistan is overstretched in south and north in deteriorating security conditions of the province," he said.
