PAKISTAN: In the month leading up to Pakistan elections, the Taliban have killed more than 70 people in attacks on three major secular political parties preventing many of their most prominent candidates from openly campaigning

Record ID: 846590

  • Title: PAKISTAN: In the month leading up to Pakistan elections, the Taliban have killed more than 70 people in attacks on three major secular political parties preventing many of their most prominent candidates from openly campaigning
  • Date: 8th May 2013
  • Summary: KARACHI, PAKISTAN (RECENT ) (REUTERS) PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE ELECTION OFFICE OF MUTTAHIDA QAUMI MOVEMENT (MQM) DAMAGED BY BLAST KITE, ELECTION SYMBOL OF MQM MEDIA/RUBBLE RESCUE WORKERS PUSHING RICKSHAW DAMAGED BY BLAST MQM HEADQUARTERS WITH ITS ELECTION SYMBOL, KITE SENIOR OFFICIAL OF MQM AND FORMER MINISTER, FAROOQ SATTAR, STANDING AT HIS PARTY'S ELECTION OFFICE (SOUND
  • Embargoed: 23rd May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • City:
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Crime,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7ONJ23OHUVOK6P7NVQ2L6QC7L
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Taliban attacks have marred Pakistan's historic election, with some candidates afraid to campaign ahead of the polls on May 11.
    Since April, the radical Islamist group has killed more than 70 people in attacks targeting three major political parties, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP), preventing many of their most prominent candidates from openly campaigning.
    The Taliban say they are targeting "secular" parties and that elections only "serve the interests of infidels and enemies of Islam".

    "We appeal to the Pakistani nation to stay away from America's bought slaves. We also appeal to them to not only boycott this election but to also revolt against this oppressive democratic system," spokesman for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Ehsanullah Ehsan, said in a video message.
    MQM, who is the strongest party in Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city and commercial capital, and one of the biggest parties in the southern Sindh province, has not held a big election rally since its offices have been repeatedly bombed.
    One of MQM candidates was killed in a gun attack in Hyderabad city in Sindh province. A candidate for ANP running for Pakistan's national assembly was shot dead with his six-year-old son in Karachi.

    "Since the election campaign for 2013 election has begun, four bomb attacks have taken place on my election offices. One of my candidates for provincial assembly has been killed in a target killing incident in Hyderabad," Farooq Sattar, senior official of MQM and a former minister in the outgoing coalition government, Farooq Sattar, told Reuters Television.
    The PPP and the MQM see themselves as liberal parties, long opposed to the influence of conservative religious forces and Islamist militancy.
    The three parties, two of them ANP and MQM, once bitter opponents, have joined hands saying they will not bow to Taliban threats and despite attacks, they will go into polls.

    "The country has come into dangers. Now, it has been decided that Pakistan People's Party, MQM and ANP should chalk out a joint line of action," said senior PPP official, Rehman Malik, who has served as interior minister in Zardari's government.

    "Those terrorists will decide about our parliament and we will bear it quietly, our dignity and our faith do not allow it," added provincial chief of Awami National Party (ANP) for Sindh, Shahi Syed.
    Recently, even right-wing religious parties have not been spared by the Taliban.
    On Monday (May 6), a suicide bomber blew himself up at an election rally organized by the right-wing religious party the Jamiat Ulema-e- Islam (JUI-F) killed 26 people. The Taliban claimed responsibility but said their quarrel was not with the party but with the candidate who the rally was for, who they said had betrayed Arab fighters to U.S. agents.
    May 11 will be the first time in the country that an election is being held to decide on a transition between civilian governments in Pakistan, a strategic U.S. ally.
    The military has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 66-year history, either through coups or from behind the scenes.
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