In Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a father reportedly killed his son following a disagreement over which political party’s flag to display ahead of the scheduled general election on February 8, as per police reports.
The dispute arose when the son, who recently returned from working in Qatar, raised the flag of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan at their family home on the outskirts of Peshawar.
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According to district police official Naseer Farid, the father objected to the PTI flag being hoisted at home, but the son refused to comply, leading to an escalating argument. In a fit of anger, the father allegedly fired a pistol at his 31-year-old son before fleeing the house. The son succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.
The father, affiliated with the nationalist Awami National Party and known for displaying their flag, is currently being sought by the police.
The incident adds tension to the upcoming elections on February 8, a period in Pakistan often marked by violence, with candidates facing bombings and gun attacks. Approximately 5,000 paramilitary Frontier Constabulary (FC) forces are set to deploy to the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan, during this time.
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In a recent development, the caretaker federal cabinet approved the deployment of the Pakistan Army and civil armed forces to assist civil institutions in ensuring a free, fair, and peaceful general election. The troops will be stationed in sensitive constituencies and polling stations, also serving as a rapid response force, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar.