General elections will be held in Pakistan on February 8

In view of the General Elections to be held in Pakistan on February 8, the Cabinet of Acting Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakkar has approved the deployment of army and civil armed forces.

With less than three weeks left for the upcoming elections, there has been an increase in shooting incidents in Pakistan. Earlier this month, an independent candidate was shot dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Punjab government has implemented Section 144 across the state till February 12 after reports of a threat to the law and order situation during the elections.

State Home Secretary Shakeel Ahmed said that the possibility of conflict between candidates and opposition political parties or factions in different areas cannot be ruled out.

He said that steps have already been taken to prevent the untoward incident. Under the directives, there is also a ban on carrying licensed firearms.