ECP summons emergency meeting on deteriorating law and order

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned an emergency meeting in the wake of deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ahead of the General Elections 2024, ARY News reported.

The sources said that the ECP called emergency meeting at 3 pm on Thursday after violence in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaving at least five people dead and others injured.

Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s caretaker home ministers, home secretaries, chief secretaries Inspector General of Police (IGP) will participate in the meeting. The ECP will be briefed on the law and order situation in both provinces.

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.