Amnesty International has said it is deeply alarmed at the “lethal and targeted” violence on offices, residences and convoys of election candidates and political parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The statement comes hours after at least 28 people were killed in back-to-back blasts outside election offices in Balochistan’s Pishin and Qila Saifullah.
In a statement, the rights organisation expressed concerns over “pre-election violence, selective bans on protests and gatherings; harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention of party workers and candidates; media restrictions; internet and social media disruptions; and trials of political opponents with little due process”.
Amnesty further urged the caretaker government to ensure compliance with its human rights obligations during and after tomorrow’s elections by ensuring uninterrupted internet access, ending media restrictions, providing access to fair trials and conducting investigations into targeted attacks on political workers.
