ECP convenes emergency meeting on law & order situation today

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has convened a meeting today to discuss law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, ARY News reported.

Caretaker Interior Minister, Interior Secretary, Chief Secretaries and Inspectors General of both provinces as well as representatives of intelligence agencies have been invited to attend the meeting.

It is pertinent to mention here that at least six people were killed and 13 others sustained injuries in three violent incidents in Balochistan’s Sibi, Quetta and Chaman and Khyber Pakhunthwa’s Bajaur district within span of a day.

The wave of violence began in Sibi when four people were killed and five others sustained injuries in a blast that occurred at Jinnah Road Sibi near political party’s rally on Tuesday. The police said that the explosive material was installed in a motorcycle that led to explosion. The law enforcers have cordoned off the area and called bomb disposal squad.

Separately, scores of armed attacks in Chaman, Quetta and other areas in Balochistan left a political activist dead and four others injured on Wednesday. Unidentified assailants opened fire at the Awami National Party (ANP) office in Chaman leaving a party activist Zahoor Ahmed dead, while another worker was injured.

In another incident unknown persons hurled hand grenade at People’s Party’s election office at Saryab Road in Quetta leaving three persons injured.

In a recent attack in Bajaur district, Rehan Zeb Khan, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed independent candidate, was gunned down in the Siddiqabad area of Bajaur. The PTI-backed candidate was contesting elections from NA-8 and PK-22 seats.

The police, in a statement, said Rehan Zeb Khan was campaigning in the area when unidentified assailants opened fire on his vehicle, leaving him dead on the spot. Four other people were also injured in the attack.

Meanwhile, the PTI strongly condemned the killing of Rehan – who was a party-backed candidate for a National Assembly seat.