Security Situation Not As Bad As Before 2008, 2013 Polls

Security situation

Security situation while efforts are reportedly being made to avoid elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to “weak” security situation, an independent think tank report said the situation in the country is not as dire as it was during the general’s 2008 referendums and 2013 elections. 

The situation was bleak ahead of the 2008 elections when former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in Rawalpindi a few months before the elections, more than 180 people were killed in Karachi, Operation Red Mosque was implemented and the banned TTP was introduced. 

During the 2013 election campaign, terrorists targeted the Awami National Party, the Pakistan People’s Party, followed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and independent candidates.

Militants killed at least 119 people and injured more than 438 in 59 attacks on candidates, election offices, public assemblies of various political parties, polling stations, and the office of the Election Commission during the 60-day election process. 

According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security situation Research (PICSS), however, the current situation is similar to that in 2018 during the last parliamentary elections.

It also turned out that the security situation forces were better trained and equipped than in 2008 and 2013. 

“In 2008, on February 18, elections were held. The security situation was grim at the time when former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was killed in Rawalpindi just two months before the 27 December 2007 elections. In October 2007, more than 180 people were killed in Karachi when an explosion occurred during a PPP rally welcoming Ms. Bhutto.  2007 also saw the July Red Mosque operation. The TTP was also formed two months before the parliamentary elections (December 2007),” the report said. 

According to PICSS, there were 639 terrorist attacks in 2007, killing 1,940 and injuring 2,807. 

In January 2008, 459 people were killed in 39 attacks, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the former Fata. 

“In 2022, there were 380 militant attacks in Pakistan, killing 539 and injuring 836. This represents a 72% reduction in deaths and 70% in injuries in 2022 compared to 2007. In the month of January 2008 alone (the month before the general elections) the number of deaths was higher than in all of 2022.

In 2013 the general elections were held on May 11th. According to the PICSS activist database, there were 366 terrorist attacks in the country in the four months that ended May 2013, killing 1,120 people and injuring 2,151, meaning that revenue increased by 52% in those four months. more dead. 

Data shows that political parties were the main target of terrorists in the 2013 election campaign.

“Activists have killed at least 119 people and injured more than 438 in about 59 attacks on various candidates, polling stations, rallies, and public gatherings of various political parties, polling stations, and Electoral Commission offices in the last 60 days of the electoral process. from March 21 to May 20, 2013, 

ANP, PPP, then MQM, and independent Security situation candidates were the main target of terrorists during the 2013 election campaign. 

“There is no doubt that in 2013 the number of terrorist attacks increased by about 32%, the report added.

Comparing 2022 and 2018 terror trends, more people were killed in terrorist attacks in 2018 than in 2022, as 579 people were killed and 960 injured, compared to 539 dead and 836 wounded in 2022.

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