Security agencies made counter strategies to repel violence during elections

Islamabad : Though general elections (GEs) 2o24 have been accomplished, relatively, in peaceful atmosphere in the Punjab, Sindh and Federal Capital Territory (ICT), against the anticipation but unfortunately, in Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), over 25 people have been killed, various sustained injuries in different areas of Baluchistan reported in three terrorist attacks during the election progression.

In a shocking episode, newly elected member leader of National Democratic Movement (NDM) and newly elected member the National Assembly (NA) from North Waziristan sustained severe injuries in an armed assault in Miran Shah during second attack on 10th February, while, he escaped narrowly in first assault on 7th February. The Interior Ministry reports suggest the Islamabad police effectively managed the law and order situation in the federal capital during the recent general elections.

Rigorous pre-emptive measures were taken to avoid any untoward incident instigating fracas the election process. The ICT Police authorities implemented security strategies by increasing patrolling, checkpoints, and traffic management in advance. The strategy of intelligence gathering and coordination was adopted to counter any threat of disturbance well before time. Collaboration with intelligence agencies might have aided in identifying and mitigating potential threats.

Quick action to address any disruptions or suspicious activity could have maintained order. High visibility of police personnel likely fostered a sense of security among voters. Each province faced unique security challenges and political dynamics and the administration of every espoused the security measure in the perspective of the risk and challenges of violence during the GEs.

Islamabad police appear to have played a significant role in facilitating peaceful voting. But the police personnel were not taught to behave with the public properly. Baluchistan and KPK faced significant security challenges including clashes between the law enforcement agencies and activists of certain political parties, specially, the PTI objectors. Those provinces saw the most significant concerns regarding law and order during the General Elections (GEs), as threats of severe violence including targeted killings of candidates and political figures. Bomb blasts aimed at polling stations and political gatherings. Clashes between security forces and armed groups were conjectured by the intelligence agencies.

Despite heavy deployment, security forces faced difficulties due to rugged territories and limited access to certain areas and ongoing presence of militant groups and separatist movements in such hazardous terrains, especially in far-flung areas, the incidents of terrorism befell Baluchistan. Complex political dynamics and local rivalries put negative impact on elections, consequently, it occurred under a tense atmosphere with reports of intimidation and disruption in some areas. However, the police and other security forces played a crucial role in implementing security measures to challenge the threats.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, its ideological and organisational ally, the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), specially, the release of 42,000 from Pakistani jails, serving their sentences in prisons, by the PTI government, has increasingly expanded its campaign of violence. Smaller and newly emerging Islamist militant groups also frequently claim responsibility for attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which further complicates the security picture in the run-up to the vote.

Since 2007, hundreds of ANP leaders and supporters have been killed in attacks by the TTP during parliamentary election campaigns. Fear and threats are so pervasive amongst the ANP that it is preventing senior politicians from holding rallies for election campaign stemmed to their political failure.

At the same time, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, head of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), is facing life threats from the terrorists outfits based in Afghanistan.

The IS-K claimed in July last year, to have carried out a devastating attack on a JUI-F rally in Bajaur. At least 56 people were killed and hundreds more injured in one of the deadliest attacks ever on Pakistani political parties.

However, the GEs 2024 have concluded, not fearlessly, but in both, violent and peaceful circumstances all over the country with the professional performance of the law enforcement and civil and military intelligence agencies to avoid and counter any threat of terrorism, when, a newly established terrorist outfit “Tehrik-e-Jihad Pakistan” (TJP), jointly embraced by Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (Gandapur group), have joined hand to sabotage GEs 2024, but the intelligence agencies got information about their anti-state motives and put the law enforcement agencies about their activities.

The security agencies made counter strategies to repel the violent activities during the election process and resisted the terrorist groups planned to hit sensitive installations housing in major cities of the country. Though, the TJP, succeeded in executing combined terrorist activities in Pashin and two other places in Baluchistan but failed to fulfil their devastating plan all over Pakistan, due to the counter strategy of the security agencies.