A new report on Monday said escalating terrorist bombings and gun attacks in Pakistan resulted in the deaths of more than 1,600 civilians and security personnel in 2024.
An independent think tank based in Islamabad released its annual report amid a wave of deadly violence in the country, primarily affecting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces bordering Afghanistan.
Pakistan asserts that outlawed transnational groups have orchestrated violence from Afghan sanctuaries, with their activities intensifying since the Taliban’s August 2021 takeover of the neighboring country.
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) stated in its Monday report that 60% of the overall casualties in 2024 were among civilians. It noted that the Pakistani military, intelligence, police and other law enforcement agencies “suffered the highest number of terror attacks and fatalities in a decade.”
According to the report, 685 security personnel have been killed since January 1, the most since Pakistan lost nearly 800 security personnel in militant attacks and counterterrorism operations in 2014.
The resurgence of militancy is attributed to two key groups: Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). Both organizations, designated as international terrorist organizations by the United Nations and the United States, routinely claim attacks staged against security forces and other targets. TTP is active mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while BLA and its allied ethnic Baloch separatist groups conduct insurgent attacks in Balochistan.
While the Pakistani government did not immediately respond to the report, an army spokesman addressed a live televised news conference on Friday, revealing that “383 brave officers and soldiers were martyred” during counterterrorism operations across Pakistan in 2024. He did not, however, provide further details.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department released a statement Monday reporting that militant attacks and security operations against insurgents resulted in the deaths of nearly 150 provincial police force members, with an additional 230 sustaining injuries.
CRSS has documented approximately 250 fatalities among Pakistani security forces, including troops, in Balochistan alone. Remaining fatalities were attributed to Punjab and Sindh provinces, as well as other regions.
The nonprofit think tank stated that its report was based on open-source data and official statements. It routinely publishes reports highlighting the security situation in Pakistan and says on its website that the organization is working to promote research and nonpartisan analysis.
The Taliban government has denied allegations that Afghan soil is being utilized by individuals permitted to threaten neighboring countries, including Pakistan.
Last week, Taliban authorities announced that Pakistani jets had struck several locations within the eastern Afghan border province of Paktika, claiming the strikes resulted in nearly 50 fatalities. The statement identified victims as “refugees” from Pakistan.
While Islamabad has refrained from publicly responding to the alleged airstrikes, Pakistani security officials instantly provided anonymous confirmation of the cross-border bombardment, stating that the strikes targeted TTP hideouts, resulting in the elimination of over two dozen key militants and training infrastructure.
The Taliban’s Defense Ministry on Saturday issued a statement claiming that its border forces retaliated by striking several targets on the Pakistani side of the border. Independent examination of both Pakistani and Afghan claims remains inconclusive.
