THE spectre of election-related violence is ever-present in Pakistan, with the last two nationwide poll exercises marked by bloodshed, particularly during the campaigning phase. A number of recent incidents in different parts of the country should alert both the caretaker administration and the security forces to the threat that violence poses to the conduct of fair elections. On Wednesday, a candidate — a PTI dissident — was killed in Bajaur, only a day after at least four people died as a rally for a PTI-supported hopeful in Sibi was bombed. Some reports have attributed the Sibi attack to the self-styled Islamic State group. In another incident on Tuesday, an ANP hopeful and his guard came under attack in KP’s Shangla area while on the campaign trail, but they survived the assault. Meanwhile, in Karachi on Sunday, an MQM man was killed as supporters of the Muttahida and the PPP clashed in Nazimabad. Earlier in January, an independent candidate was assassinated in North Waziristan, while a PML-N hopeful survived a gun attack in Turbat.

These incidents illustrate the varied nature of threats — from personal vendettas to political differences, as well as from militant groups, including religiously inspired outfits, along with separatist violence. Candidates in KP and Balochistan face the biggest threats from extremist groups such as the banned TTP and IS, while separatists may also try and sabotage the electoral process in the latter province. As for political violence, while levels have come down from past years, when parties fought pitched battles on the streets of Karachi, even minor arguments can flare up and turn into bigger disputes — a dangerous tendency in a city where various political groupings are flush with arms. It is the prime duty of the caretaker administration to protect candidates as well as voters in the run-up to polls and on the day of the election itself. The administration needs to concentrate on this core responsibility.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2024