Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has declared that general elections scheduled for February 8 will proceed as planned despite security challenges, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Chairing a high-level meeting to review the worsening law and order situation in the two provinces, Raja said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was fully prepared to hold elections on time and there should be no ambiguity about it.

Raja urged the law enfo­rcement agencies to beware of attempts by various elements to take the law into their own hands on the election day, especially during the counting process and declaration of results.

The meeting was informed that elections are being held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the first time after the merger of erstwhile Fata with the province, but preparations at the administrative level are complete and all resources have been provided to the law enforcement agencies.

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