Pakistan witnessed a surge in militant activity last month, with at least 77 verified attacks reported across the country, resulting in 70 fatalities, including 31 security personnel, according to the latest findings from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based think tank.
According to the report, April witnessed a significant uptick in militant activities. In comparison, March saw 56 militant attacks, resulting in 77 fatalities and 67 injuries. This indicates a 38 percent increase in the number of militant attacks, although there was a nine percent decline in deaths, with no change in the number of injuries.
The PICSS report highlighted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bore the brunt of these attacks, with 73 percent of the total incidents occurring in the province. Mainland KP witnessed 31 attacks, resulting in 25 fatalities and 10 injuries. The southern districts of D.I. Khan, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, and Tank were the most affected, with D.I. Khan and Lakki Marwat facing seven militant attacks each, Bannu facing six, and Tank experiencing two attacks. Together, these districts accounted for 71 percent of the attacks in mainland KP.
In addition to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there was a noticeable surge in militant activities in Punjab. While only one attack was recorded in March, April saw four such incidents, resulting in three fatalities. Furthermore, a separate attack in Sindh claimed three lives.
Balochistan, a region long plagued by insurgency, faced 16 attacks, resulting in 21 fatalities, including four security personnel. Most of these attacks took place in the Baloch belt, particularly in the south and southwest. Specifically, three attacks were reported in Khuzdar, two in Kech, Kohlu, and Quetta each, and one each in Chaman, Dera Bugti, Duki, Kalat, Kharan, Mastung, and Nushki.
The report also underscored the efforts of Pakistani security forces in countering militant threats. During April, security forces thwarted numerous potential attacks, resulting in the deaths of 55 suspected militants and the arrest of 12 others.