With the general elections less than three weeks away, a concerning surge in pre-election violence has been observed across Pakistan—one of the recent incidents involved Arslan Khalid, a PTI-affiliated independent candidate for NA-248. Khalid was injured in an attack during a “Mehfil-e-Milad” event in Karachi’s Federal B Area, Azizabad.
Incident Involving Arslan Khalid
Arslan Khalid reported in his first information report (FIR) lodged at Azizabad Police Station that he had organized the event on behalf of PTI. During the event, approximately 100 to 200 unidentified masked men violently attacked him and his companions with punches, kicks, and batons, causing him head injuries. Khalid was subsequently rushed to Abbassi Shaheed Hospital for treatment. The PTI spokesperson accused MQM-P of orchestrating the attack and urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the Sindh government to take serious action against the perpetrators.
These incidents underscore the escalating security concerns as the nation prepares for the February 8 general elections. The elections come amid hopes of addressing major national issues like political instability, terrorism, and economic challenges.
