Pakistan: Militant Attacks Leave 90 Dead In January

In January of this year, Pakistan experienced a significant increase in terrorist attacks, with The News International reporting at least 93 incidents. These attacks resulted in the deaths of 90 individuals and left 135 others injured.

Additionally, reports indicate that 15 people were allegedly kidnapped in January 2024.

The Islamabad think tank, Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), unveiled the information on Thursday.

As Pakistan prepares for the upcoming general elections, the initial month of 2024 has seen a concerning rise in militant actions, with a remarkable 102 per cent rise compared to December 2023, as reported by The News International.

According to the reports, although attacks have increased, the effect on human casualties was somewhat reduced. The reports noted a 15 per cent increase in deaths and a 19 per cent rise in injuries.

The individuals who lost their lives consisted of 41 civilians, 37 members of the security forces, and 12 militants. Additionally, 81 civilians and 54 security forces personnel sustained injuries.

Based on PICSS data, Balochistan experienced 33 recorded assaults, resulting in 31 fatalities and 50 injuries.

Furthermore, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw 30 incidents, which led to 17 deaths and 21 injuries.

Formerly known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the recently integrated districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) experienced a total of 24 assaults, resulting in 36 fatalities and 57 individuals sustaining injuries.

In the meantime, Sindh experienced four terrorist assaults, resulting in five fatalities and six injuries. Punjab and Islamabad each documented a single attack with no major casualties, according to The News International.

Before the upcoming general elections, there has been a significant increase in attacks on election-related events and candidates.

According to the information provided by the PICSS, there were 21 similar incidents in January, resulting in 10 fatalities and 25 injuries.

Two individuals, including Rehan Zeb Khan, a well-known youth leader and local figure from Bajaur, and an independent candidate from Mir Ali in North Waziristan, tragically lost their lives.

Several candidates narrowly avoided injury in these attacks, according to The News International.

Furthermore, the security forces in Pakistan have effectively thwarted multiple attacks as a defensive tactic, neutralizing at least 32 suspected militants and capturing nine others. However, the report did not specify the precise number of attacks prevented by the Pakistani forces.

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