Acts of terrorism, threats slow down election campaign in KP

PESHAWAR: Just a week ahead of the 2018 general election, the recent wave of terror attacks has compelled the political parties and candidates to slow down their campaign in the face of looming threats.

Political rallies and corner meetings were in full swing in Peshawar and rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa till last week. Many of the political parties were restricted to their homes and hujras in the 2013 election due to everyday terror attacks on their leaders and candidates.

They were also holding rallies and public meetings openly in every constituency of the province till last week. There were a number of rallies and corner meetings being held in every part of the province because everyone believed peace has greatly returned to the province and the rest of the country. However, the political gatherings and rallies have come to an end since July 10 when a suicide bomber targeted a gathering of the Awami National Party (ANP) in Yakatoot, resulting into the martyrdom of Haroon Bilour and 21 others.

The attack was followed by a major bombing during a rally in Mastung district in Balochistan and a bomb attack on the candidate of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal and former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani in Bannu. A couple of other low intensity blasts were also reported over the last few days.

The candidates as well as their families and friends, especially those campaigning in the remote villages, have already reduced their campaign related activities. They believe the lives of their workers and supporters are more important.

“We have changed the style of the campaign from rallies and meetings to door-to-door visits. No candidate can afford to sit at home and wait for the election day. Despite the threats, I have launched a door-to-door campaign and am holding meetings at hujras,” a candidate told The News. He added that he has been told by friends and well-wishers to change his routine.

“No candidate can afford to stop canvassing even though we have reduced the number of meetings and rallies,” he remarked. The law-enforcement agencies have instructed the candidates particularly the ones from the parties facing threats to improve their security by avoiding scheduled gatherings and inform the police in advance in case of any public meeting or rally.

The cops have also asked the candidates to task the party workers along with police for security as they will better identify strangers in the events. Security has been put on high alert all over the province after the fresh wave of terror.

According to Capital City Police Officer Qazi Jamilur Rehman, the police have increased the number of checkpoints in addition to launching search operations to arrest the suspected elements.

“We have put the security on the high alert. The new checkpoints and the increased search operations will help the police go after the suspicious elements. We know the public is facing inconvenience due to the security measures but these are necessary to hold peaceful polls,” Qazi Jamilur Rehman told The News.

The CCPO said a flag march was carried out across the provincial capital the other day. “We have deployed the Quick Response Force all over the city while bomb disposal unit and Canine Unit will be deployed at venues of rallies and meetings for security,” he added.

The official continued that all the candidates have been told to inform police in advance about any meeting or rally. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have adopted measures to ensure peace and protect political gatherings in the wake of the recent terror attacks on election rallies.