Zubair Qureshi
Pakistan witnessed during the year 2023 that ended yesterday an unprecedented surge in militant attacks as the country saw a staggering 69 percent rise in attacks, an 81 percent increase in resultant deaths, and a 60 percent surge in the number of wounded.
Preliminary data released by an Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) shows that the year 2023 witnessed at least 641 militant attacks across the country in which 974 people were killed and 1351 injured.
The year 2022 had witnessed 380 militant attacks resulting in 539 deaths and 836 injuries. The situation could have been even worse if Pakistani security forces had not foiled hundreds of attacks and attempts during the year. Overall, there was a 74 surge in the actions of the security forces against the militants in which around 600 militants were killed and at least 625 were arrested.
By combining militant attacks and security forces actions the country saw over one thousand violent incidents in which 1511 people were killed and 1440 injured.
As far as the militant attacks are concerned, the PICSS database shows that the average militant attacks per month rose from 32 in 2022 to 53 attacks per month in 2023 which is the highest monthly average in any year after 2015. There was a consistent decline in militant attacks from 2015 to 2019. The average number of militant attacks per month had dropped to just 13 attacks per month.
However, from 2020 onwards a consistent increase has been observed every year.
During the year 2023, militant attacks not only increased in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its tribal districts but also in Balochistan and Punjab. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed the highest number of militant attacks and resultant casualties during 2023. PICSS recorded 419 militant attacks in KP in which 620 people were killed including 306 security forces personnel, 222 civilians, and 92 militants while 977 were injured including 525 security forces personnel, 402 civilians, and 50 militants. Within KP, more violence was recorded from mainland KP than the Newly Merged Districts (erstwhile FATA) as the mainland KP witnessed 235 militant attacks in which 336 people were killed including 213 security forces personnel, 67 civilians, and 56 militants while 589 were injured including 383 security forces personnel, 163 civilians and 43 militants. There was an 84 percent increase in militant attacks in mainland KP.
Erstwhile FATA (newly merged districts of KP) 184 militant attacks in which 284 people were killed including 155 civilians, 93 security forces personnel, and 36 militants while 388 were injured including 239 civilians, 142 security forces personnel, and seven militants. The region witnessed a 59 percent rise in militant attacks in 2023 compared with 2022. According to the PICSS Annual Security Report, Balochistan faced at least 170 militant attacks in which 285 people were killed including 151 civilians, 114 security forces personnel, and 20 militants while 388 people were injured including 195 civilians, 99 security forces personnel, and four militants. The rise in militant attacks in Balochistan was 65 percent in 2023 compared with 2022.
Sindh also witnessed a 40 percent rise in militant attacks in 2023 as there were 35 such incidents were reported from the province in which 39 people died including 22 civilians, 11 security forces personnel, and six militants while 35 people were injured including 24 security forces personnel, ten civilians and one militant.
An unprecedented rise in militant activities was witnessed in Punjab where 14 militant attacks were reported in 2023 compared to just three in 2022. In Punjab, 20 people were killed in militant attacks including 14 militants, four security forces personnel, and two civilians while 14 people got injured including eight civilians, five security forces personnel, and one militant.
Azad Kashmir, Federal capital Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan witnessed one militant attack each during 2023.
