ISLAMABAD – Security agencies on Thursday have presaged that terrorists canmake more attacks to sabotage the electoral process and political leadersof all parties were on their hit list.
In view of the new terrorism wave and the up-coming general election,Senate Committee on Interior convened a meeting, in which it was revealedthat 65 political personalities – including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)Chairman Imran Khan and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi – can bea target of terrorism.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary Babar Yaqoob FatehMuhammad and officials of other institutions responded to the queries ofthe Senate body members.
Meanwhile, briefing the Senate Committee on Interior, Inter-Services PublicRelations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor said that thearmed forces have no direct role in the elections, adding that they werejust to maintain law and order.
Separately, the ECP secretary said that commission’s staff, in manyconstituencies, was being threatened, adding that the protection of pollingstations and staff is a major challenge. The ECP Secretary said that, forthe first time, watermarked ballot papers – imported from Europe – will beused in the elections.
He informed the committee that returning officers will send the results tothe ECP through special software. Babar Yaqoob said that 450,000 police and300,000 army troops will be deployed on the polling day. As many as 750,000polling staff will perform duty.
Meanwhile, briefing the Senate body, NACTA National Coordinator Sulemansaid that 65 security alerts had been received so far and they were issuedto all political parties.
He said that there were threats from banned organizations. Furthermore,Police officials added that Mastung incident attacker, Hafiz Nawaz, wasfrom Abbottabad, however, his facilitators are being searched.