Pakistan witnesses sharp rise in terror attacks in August

• KP, Balochistan see sharp rise in deadly attacks last month.
• KP witnessed 25 casualties in 29 terrorist attacks in August.
• Most of casualties in Balochistan resulted from Aug 26 attacks.

KARACHI: As Pakistan teeters in its struggle to overcome several challenges including economic instability and political unrest, terrorism adds to the country's woes as the terror incidents witnessed a surge last month.

The nation has been reeling under rising violent attacks since the Taliban rulers returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The two most vulnerable provinces saw a sharp rise in deadly attacks last month, according to data from the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS).

The digital database of security incidents managed by the Islamabad-based think-tank suggested an alarming situation as the number of attacks jumped from 38 in July to 59 in August.

These incidents included 29 attacks in KP, 28 in Balochistan, and two in Punjab.

The most recent and deadliest among the 28 attacks in the southwestern province resulted in 57 deaths and injuries to another 84 people.

Meanwhile, KP witnessed 25 casualties in the 29 terrorist attacks during August.

"The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, Lashkar-e-Islam, Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) and few local Taliban groups were reportedly involved in these attacks," the report stated.

Moreover, two civilians were reportedly killed in as many attacks in Punjab during the same period.

As per the PIPS, most of these terrorism-related casualties in the province resulted from BLA-orchestrated attacks on August 26 in over seven districts of the province targeting security forces and national infrastructure.

The PIPS statistics suggest that the security forces of Pakistan and the counterterrorism departments (CTDs) of police conducted 12 anti-militant operations in the country in August 2024.

The number is over 50% higher than the 11 operations that took place in July.

The operations in August "resulted in the elimination of 88 militants", and martyrdom of 15 soldiers and three policemen.

Balochistan unrest

The report highlighted that out of the total 28 attacks recorded in Balochistan in August 2024, 26 were carried out by the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), including the group's extensive terrorist onslaught on August 26.

The terrorist outfit has reportedly escalated its destructive activities, executing high-impact attacks, including female suicide bombers.

"The involvement of numerous militants and the use of sophisticated weaponry, including vehicle-borne explosives, indicate the BLA’s growing capabilities," the report stated.

The dastardly attacks sent shock waves across the country, drawing condemnations from the government and foreign countries.

Condemning the attacks, Pakistan's long-time regional ally China and United States pledged support to the country in its fight against terrorism.

Besides the recent spike in terrorism, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks since the Taliban government returned to power in neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021, mostly in KP and Balochistan, which abuts Afghanistan and Iran.

In 2023, there were at least 170 militant attacks killing 151 civilians and 114 security personnel in Balochistan, as per the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.

Against this backdrop, the federal cabinet in June this year approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a reinvigorated national counter-terrorism campaign following the Central Apex Committee's recommendations under the National Action Plan to root out terrorism.