Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Thursday constituted a seven-member committee mandated with ensuring the smooth conduct of the upcoming February 8 general elections as well as overseeing their security arrangements.

       According to a notification issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) — a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, interim Minister for Communications, Railways, and Maritime Affairs Shahid Ashraf Tarar has been named as the head of the committee.

       The other members include the interior secretary, four provincial chief secretaries as well as any other co-opted individual desired by the committee.

       As per the PMO notification, the committee will have the mandate to oversee the security arrangements for polls; review and resolve matters regarding administrative arrangements and coordination for the smooth conduct of elections; issue directions for urgent requirements of additional security where law and order situation requires, and implement directions of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding smooth and orderly conduct of polls

       The notification added the National Crisis Management Cell of the Ministry of Interior will serve as the committee secretariat.

       Exactly three weeks away on February 8, the country will vote in delayed polls already marred by allegations of pre-poll rigging, with former prime minister Imran Khan jailed and barred from running.

       Previous election campaigns have witnessed spasms of violence, with scores of candidates and voters targeted by bombings and gun attacks.

       In the first week of February, some 5,000 paramilitary Frontier Constabulary forces will deploy to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bordering Afghanistan, commander Moazzam Jah Ansari had told AFP.

       Last week, an independent candidate running in KP was killed alongside two aides when his car was hit by a spray of gunfire as he campaigned in the province.

       A senior regional government official had told AFP there was a “deteriorating security situation”, and “additional police teams will be deployed at polling stations” on voting day.

       Acknowledging the presence of threats in various parts of the country, top government and security officials had assured the ECP a day ago of their readiness to hold general elections.

       Reviewing preparations for the Feb 8 polls, with a focus on the law and order situation, the meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja was given assurances that all arrangements were in place to hold elections and deal with “any kind of situation”.

       Last month, former interior minister Sarfraz Ahmad Bugti had said the ECP would be given the full security needed to hold the upcoming general elections in a peaceful environment.