Elections 2024: Pakistan shuts border crossings with Afghanistan, Iran

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday said border crossings with Afghanistan and Iran will remain closed to ensure full security during the general elections in Pakistan on Feb 8, ARY News reported.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “To ensure full security during the general elections, border crossings with Afghanistan and Iran, would remain closed both for cargo and pedestrians”.

Furthermore, the spokeswoman said that normal operations would resume on Friday.

To ensure full security during the general elections to be held in Pakistan on 8 Feb 2024, border crossings with Afghanistan and Iran, would remain closed both for cargo and pedestrians. Normal operations would resume on 9 Feb 2024.

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) February 7, 2024

The announcement came hours after back-to-back blasts that hit Balochistan’s  Pishin and Qila Saifullah, killing at least 28 people.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist activities, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, since the outlawed militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.

Earlier in the day, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja ordered the police chiefs and chief secretaries of all provinces to put security on high alert following terror attacks in Balochistan ahead of general elections 2024.

The election commissioner held telephonic conversations with Chief Secretaries and Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of all provinces.

He expressed grief and sorrow over the terror attacks in Balochistan, while directing the to take steps for immediate redressal of such incidents.

Sikandar Sultan Raja also ordered to complete deployment of security personnel as soon as possible. “Full security should be provided to voters and offices of DROs [district returning officers] and ROs [returning officers],” he added.