Pakistan Deploys Thousands of Security Forces Amid Expected Violence in Controversial Election

In the lead-up to Pakistan’s highly anticipated general election on February 8, authorities in Islamabad have announced the deployment of thousands of security forces to the northwestern region, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as the country grapples with increasing militancy and concerns over the integrity of the electoral process.

The decision to saturate the northwest with security personnel comes amid allegations of pre-poll rigging and the imprisonment of popular opposition leader Imran Khan, who has been barred from running in the elections.

Commander Moazzam Jah Ansari of the paramilitary Frontier Constabulary (FC) revealed that around 5,000 FC forces would be deployed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province that shares a border with Afghanistan. This move follows a recent incident where an independent candidate and two aides were killed in a gunfire attack while campaigning in the province.

The deteriorating security situation has prompted a senior regional government official to announce additional police deployments at polling stations on voting day to ensure the safety of candidates and voters.

Further security measures include the deployment of 1,700 FC forces in the capital, Islamabad, and 400 in Karachi, the southern and most populous city. These forces will work in conjunction with the police to counteract potential militant threats, given the history of violence during previous election campaigns.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maqbool Baqar of the southern Sindh province issued a warning citing multiple reports of attacks on election candidates. Kidnappings in broad daylight have become a concerning trend, contributing to what Baqar described as a “rising tide of crime.”

The security concerns are underscored by the alarming statistics from the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies, reporting more than 1,500 casualties last year, marking a six-year high. The primary threat to Pakistan’s security remains the domestic faction of the Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Accusations have been levied against the Taliban government in Kabul, with Islamabad claiming that it harbors TTP fighters, allowing them to launch attacks on Pakistani soil with impunity. Kabul has consistently denied these allegations.

The TTP’s involvement in deadly attacks, such as the mosque bombing in Peshawar that claimed the lives of over 80 police officers last January, and the killing of 23 soldiers in December through a vehicle-borne explosive incident, highlights the urgent need for enhanced security measures as Pakistan approaches a critical juncture in its political landscape.