Nadeem F. Paracha, a journalist and columnist with Dawn, said it best.
“TTP begins its election campaign…”
Paracha was referring to the suicide bomb that went off this Friday near a Frontier Constabulary checkpoint on Fakhr-i-Alam Road in Peshawar’s Saddar area.
Four men and one woman were killed, and another fourteen were injured — some of them permanently scarred when the bomb ripped through the area.
As the country prepares for elections on May 11, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s politicians, security officials and civilians alike fear security threats from militants like the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
“Political leaders need to run election campaigns, and it is simply too dangerous to do so,” said Professor Muhammad Uzair Ali, who teaches at Yar Hussain Degree College.
“Take the Awami National Party (ANP) president, Asfandyar Wali Khan, during the 2008 election. Back then, Khan lost to an independent candidate, Usman Khan Tarakai, for the simple reason that he was unable to show up in the constituency — NA-12 Swabi 1,” said Ali.
Earlier this week, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) submitted a report to the Supreme Court, arguing that increased terrorist activities in the tribal areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa might see a spike during the election period, because of the “nexus” between Tehrik-i-Taliban Swat (TTS) and the Afghan government.
“Terrorism is going to dominate the election campaign in the province this year, but it is as yet unclear how the political parties plan to handle the delicate security situation that they’re faced with,” said Ali.
In an attempt to curb terrorism, and organise for at least a minimum number of peace and stability during the election season, the ANP tried to distance itself from the government counterinsurgency strategy by holding a multiparty conference in mid-February, to discuss an offer by the TTP to hold talks.
The conference failed, and TTP eventually withdrew the offer, citing the “non-serious attitude” of the security forces and the government as the reason behind their decision.
“This non-serious response to our offer of peace talks has proved who is pushing the country into an inferno of bloodshed,” warned TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan."The un-Islamic democratic system only serves the interests of infidels and enemies of Islam.”
He warned the voters to stay away from gatherings of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and ANP.
Leaders of these political parties are already on the militants' hit list.
Political parties have little security Following the dissolution of the provincial government and assembly, the ANP no longer enjoys government security, resulting in increased exposure to attacks.
“We admit that security is a big issue. The leadership of mainstream political parties, especially the PPP, MQM and the ANP might not be able to run a full-fledged election campaign. Instead, we’ll have to rely on locally-based political workers, who in turn would be under tremendous pressure to reach the voters,” said Zar Shaid Khan, the former provincial minister for usher and Zakat.
“Remember, our former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in the 2008 election.
“We cannot afford the loss of any more leaders. Leaders are not made in a short span of time, and they pass through numerous rigorous and complicated processes,” said Shaid Khan
“The interim setups should take extraordinary measures to provide security to the leaders,” said Shaid Khan.
As a result of the enormous concern for election security, the focus has shifted to the question of election violence and security.
Soon after the TTP suspended the dialogue, the top military brass in their first policy statement vowed to continue the fight against terrorism.
A military spokesman said: “It was reiterated in unequivocal terms that a comprehensive strategy will be followed by armed forces to combat the terrorist threat being faced by the country.”
An analyst was concerned that the threat could have a disastrous impact on the elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal belt.
“The turn-out could end up very low. The threat has crippled the people's mind. If the Taliban strike a few days before the elections or on Election Day, the voter turnout numbers could take a nosedive,” said an analyst.
Political workers agree, and point out that their work is made much more difficult.
“The terrorist threat preoccupies everyone. My mother told me, in no uncertain terms: ‘you and your life is dear to us’. We don’t need elections, and you must stay away from the election process and the public gatherings,” said Fathi Khan, a political worker for the Qaumi Watan Party.
The security situation led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Election Commissioner, Sono Khan Baloch, to ask all contesting candidates to avoid processions when they visited the offices of returning officers to hand in their nomination papers.
Only a single candidate, along with his or her proposer and seconder, could visit the premises of the returning officer responsible for the constituency they were running in.
The caretaker setup, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the army are attempting to deal with the security issue.
The Interior Ministry has already warned that the banned militant groups are determined to sabotage elections.
The military command has extended complete support to the election process under the integrated security arrangements.
And security challenges were discussed seriously in the latest corps commanders meeting.
Police, rangers and the Frontier Corps personnel would be involved in the army-led integrated security plan.
The army is expected to guard 50 per cent of the polling stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
Unfortunately, said one analyst, while politicians might see some security, the poorest might be ignored.
“The biggest dilemma,” said an analyst, “will be faced by the voters. Stay home, or risk your life and vote.”