Pakistan: Heightened security measures ahead of elections July 25

Event

Pakistani officials have recently announced plans to implement heightened security measures ahead of the Pakistani general elections on Wednesday, July 25, following recent deadly militant attacks on election-related gatherings in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Pakistani police will reportedly bolster security for candidates and party leaders in the days before the vote; additionally, hundreds of thousands of soldiers will be deployed to polling stations on July 23-26 to provide security - almost six times the number deployed for the 2013 general elections. CCTV cameras will also be installed to monitor over 18,000 polling places nationwide that are deemed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to face particularly challenging security risks.

Despite such augmented security measures, militant attacks on polling places and election-related gatherings are possible in the coming days. Government-sanctioned cuts to cellular phone service and the Internet are also possible. Heightened security measures and localized traffic disruptions are to be anticipated near political rallies and demonstrations.

Context

A series of militant attacks on election-related gatherings have escalated pre-election tensions in Pakistan and have killed hundreds of people in recent weeks, calling into question the ability of security forces to ensure the security of voters during the July 25 election. On July 13, Islamic State (IS) militants killed at least 149 people, including a Balochistan Awami Party candidate, and wounded some 186 others in a suicide bombing attack in Mastung (Balochistan province). The same day, at least five people were killed and 37 others were wounded in a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack on an election rally in Bannu (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province); the Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen group claimed responsibility for the attack. On July 10, a Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) suicide bomber attacked an Awami National Party (ANP) rally in Peshawar (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province), killing at least 22 people, including the ANP candidate for the provincial assembly, and wounding 75 others.

Additionally, some candidates have cautioned that the Pakistani army and intelligence services have threatened members of their political parties in the run-up to the vote, with election observers warning that the integrity of the elections may suffer as a result.

Advice

Individuals in Pakistan are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all polling places, demonstrations, and political gatherings as a precaution, remain vigilant for militant activity, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.