ISLAMABAD: Terrorist activities in the country increased by 79 percent during the first half of 2023, JEE News reported citing a statistical report released by independent think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). What did
The report sounded the alarm saying that at least 271 militant attacks took place during the last 6 months, resulting in the loss of 389 lives and 656 injuries.
In the same time frame last year, the situation was much better than the current one, as in the first half of 2022 there were 151 attacks and 293 deaths, and 487 injuries.
These figures represent a staggering 79 percent increase in militant attacks during the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
Additionally, 228 attacks were recorded in the latter half of 2022, resulting in 246 deaths and 349 injuries. Thus, the first six months of 2023 saw an 18 percent increase in attacks compared to the last half of 2022, along with a 58 percent increase in fatalities and an 88 percent increase in injuries.
Pakistani security forces have also stepped up their response to terrorism and have killed at least 236 militants across the country while arresting 295 suspected militants during the first six months of 2023.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emerged as the most affected province during the first half of this year, with 174 militant attacks reported. 266 people were killed and 463 injured in these attacks.
Of the reported attacks, 100 occurred in mainland KP, resulting in 188 deaths and 354 injuries, while 74 incidents occurred in the Tribal Areas (former FATA), resulting in 78 deaths and 109 injuries.
The PICSS militancy database shows a 51% increase in terrorist attacks in KP’s tribal districts during the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, although casualties were 10% and 15% higher than the first and second respectively. has decreased. Half of last year respectively.
Mainland KP saw a 108 percent increase in terrorist incidents during the first six months of 2023 compared to the same period last year.
Additionally, a 25 percent increase was seen compared to the second half of 2022. Deaths in mainland KP increased by 53 percent in the first and last half of 2022, respectively, and by 132 percent in the first half of this year.
Balochistan reported 75 incidents of terrorism in the first half of 2023, resulting in 100 deaths and 163 injuries.
The PICSS militancy database shows a 103 percent increase in terrorist attacks during this period compared to the same period last year and a 14 percent increase over the last six months of 2022.
Deaths in Balochistan increased by 61 percent and 64 percent in the first six months of this year compared to the first and second half of 2022, respectively.
Meanwhile, incidents of terrorism in Sindh saw a slight decline, with 13 attacks reported in the first six months of 2023, resulting in 19 deaths and the same number of injuries. Comparing the figures from the first and second half of last year, the first six months of this year saw a 19 percent decline and a 44 percent increase, respectively.
Deaths in Sindh increased by 27 percent compared to the first half of last year, while the last six months of 2022 saw a 171 percent increase.
Punjab has seen a significant increase in terror-related incidents during the first six months of 2023, with the PICSS militancy database recording eight attacks, resulting in six deaths and 10 injuries. In contrast, only one militant attack was reported during the first six months of 2022, while two were reported during the last six months of the same year.
The first half of 2023 also saw an increase in suicide attacks, with 13 such attacks resulting in 142 deaths and 309 injuries.
In comparison, only five suicide attacks were reported during the same period last year, in which 77 people were killed and 225 injured. During the second half of 2022, there were 10 suicide attacks in Pakistan, resulting in 24 deaths and 65 injuries.
