ISLAMABAD: According to a report published by an independent think tank, the situation in the country is not as bad as it was during the 2008 and 2013 general elections, despite apparent attempts to avoid voting in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to “poor” security.
A few months before the 2008 elections, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was killed in Rawalpindi, more than 180 people died in Karachi, the Red Mosque operation was carried out, and the TTP, a banned organisation, was founded. The situation was dire.
The Awami National Party, Pakistan Peoples Party, then-Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), and independent candidates were targeted by terrorists during the 2013 election campaign.
During the 60-day election process, the militants attacked polling places, candidates’ offices, public gatherings of various political parties, and the office of the election commission 59 times, resulting in at least 119 fatalities and over 438 injuries.
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) data, however, revealed that there are not many differences between the current situation and that of 2018, when the most recent general elections were held.
Furthermore, it claimed that compared to 2008 and 2013, security forces are now better trained and equipped.
“The elections in 2008 took place on February 18.” The former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007, in Rawalpindi, just two months before the elections, making the security situation extremely bleak at the time. When an explosion occurred during a PPP rally in Karachi to welcome Ms. Bhutto in October 2007, more than 180 people were killed. The Red Mosque incident occurred in July of 2007 as well. Additionally, the TTP was established in December 2007, just two months before the general elections, according to the report.
PICSS data show that there were 639 terrorist attacks in 2007 that resulted in 1,940 fatalities and 2,807 injuries.
In January 2008, there were 39 attacks that resulted in 459 fatalities, the majority of which occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the former Fata.
“In 2022, Pakistan experienced 380 militant attacks, resulting in 539 fatalities and 836 injuries. In comparison to 2007, there was a 72% decrease in fatalities and a 70% decrease in injuries in 2022. The number of deaths in January 2008 (the month before the general elections) alone exceeded that of 2022 as a whole, it said.
On May 11, 2013, general elections were held. In the four months prior to May 2013, there were 366 terrorist attacks in the nation, which resulted in 1,120 fatalities and 2,151 injuries, according to the PICSS militancy database. The number of deaths increased by 52% in those four months.
According to data, terrorists’ primary targets during the 2013 election campaign were political parties.
According to the report, during the 60-day election period that spanned from March 21 to May 20, 2013, “the militants killed at least 119 people and injured more than 438 others in some 59 attacks on different candidates, elections offices, rallies and public meetings of different political parties, polling stations, and office of election commission.”
Terrorists primarily targeted the ANP, PPP, former-MQM, and independent candidates during the 2013 election campaign.
“There is no denying that compared to 2021, terrorism attacks increased by about 32% in 2022. However, things are much better than they were in 2008 and 2013.
According to the report, Pakistan’s security forces are now more trained and equipped than they were in 2008 and 2013.
When 2022 terror trends are compared to 2018, more people were killed in terror attacks in 2018 than in 2022, according to the report. 579 people died and 960 were injured in terror attacks in 2018, compared to 539 deaths and 836 injuries in 2022.
