Peshawar police have declined to provide security to election candidates in the lead-up to the general elections in 2024. Instead, candidates have been advised to hire security personnel from private security companies. The police, however, will still offer security for corner meetings and public rallies during election campaigns.
The decision stems from a shortage of additional security personnel, as most will be deployed at polling stations during the upcoming elections. This development follows the Counter Terrorism Department’s release of a list of political figures who have received threats ahead of the general election.
The list includes 15 politicians from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), such as MNA Mohsin Dawar, former provincial minister Imtiaz Qureshi, Senator Hidayatullah, former PML-N MNA Amir Maqam, former PTI MNA Pir Mansoor Shah, Shah Muhammad, JUI-F’s Malik Adnan Wazir and Ehsanullah, Senator Bakhti Afsar, and Senator Maulana Abdur Rasheed.