Killing around more than 149 people and injuring 180 people in two separate terrorist attacks, security threats exacerbate as elections approach. On Friday, 13th July 2018, Pakistan suffered from two major terrorist attacks, in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Nawabzada Siraj Raisani, a candidate contesting for a seat in the Provincial Assembly seat, was among the 131 martyrs, killed in a suicide attack on an election gathering, in an area, Mastung, situated about 40 km south-west of Quetta.

This tragic incident left behind around, 150 casualties. Siraj Raisani, the younger brother of former Chief Minister of Balochistan, Nawab Aslam Raisani, a candidate of PB-35 Mastung, was martyred in this attack.

Similarly, Nawab Aslam Raisani has also been through a suicide attack, at Sariab railway crossing, during his tenure as Chief Minister, Previously, minor attacks on the houses and convoys of election candidates have taken place in different parts of Balochistan.

For instance, an explosion occurred near an election office of BAP candidate, for a provincial assembly seat Agha Shakil Durrani in Khuzdar on Thursday night, injuring two people.

The ISIS has claimed the responsibility for the deadly bomb blast, targeting a corner meeting. According to media reports, the Islamic State group has a muted presence in Pakistan but has carried out brutal attacks there in the past, including the blast at a Sufi shrine in February last year which killed nearly 90 people. Militants have targeted politicians, religious gatherings, security forces and even schools in Pakistan.
Other such cases include, the convoy of Rehmat Saleh Baloch, a National Party (NP) candidate for a provincial assembly seat, getting attacked in Punjgur, a week ago. However, no one was killed or injured.

Two weeks ago, rockets were fired at the houses of Zahoor Buledi, BAP candidate for a provincial assembly seat, in Buleda and NP candidate Khair Jan Baloch in Jhaoo, causing no damage.

The security plan is doomed to complete failure in presence of millions of illegal immigrants from Afghanistan and other countries as honourable guests of the State of Pakistan. We are sorry to say that we have never seen that the illegal immigrants, present in Pakistan in millions, had ever faced Government action.

No one was arrested. All were allowed to encroach upon the economic rights of the Pakistani people. Overwhelming majority of the illegal immigrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Burma are economic refugees as long as they are in Sindh and Balochistan; they are tolerated and well treated by all Government agencies and departments for unexplained reasons. Afghans and India are generally suspected to be facilitators and the ISIS sleeping cells are believed to be in Balochistan, particularly in and around Quetta Valley.

Without expelling all the Afghans, both refugees and illegal immigrants, Quetta and rest of Balochistan cannot be secured. There is no need for launching a combing up operation in any part of Pakistan, including Balochistan. There is a need to round up all illegal immigrants and deport them to their respective countries preferably to Afghanistan before they commit another deadly attack killing more people. With this action only, all the sleeping cells will disappear.

Thus, These killings are disturbing the minds of people, leading to growing fear and agitation. Following Harron Bilour’s demise, grieving politicians had expressed their fear and outrage regarding the terror attacks. However, executives need to work better in an attempt to decrease the probability of upcoming terror attacks.

Moreover, campaign leaders need to be more vigilant in order to protect themselves. And as elections are approaching, security needs to be strengthened further.