Explosions at the offices of a political party and an independent candidate in southwest Pakistan raise fresh security concerns. The explosions come a day ahead of the country’s general election. Pakistan’s 127 million voters get to elect a new parliament on Thursday that will choose a new prime minister after the vote. Authorities have said they are boosting security at polling booths following Wednesday’s blasts. More than half a million security officers have already been deployed to ensure peace following a surge in militant attacks. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank, said there had been a “staggering” rise in militant attacks in the past year with an average of 54 per month — the most since 2015, when the army launched a massive crackdown on militant groups. Political parties have completed their campaigns and are now observing a quiet period leading up to the election as required by electoral regulations.
Deadly blasts in Pakistan on the eve of parliamentary elections | DW News
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