Militancy-inflicted death toll in January at highest in years

134 killed, 254 injured in wave of attacks across the country, report says

Even as the country mourns the death of 84 people in the Peshawar suicide attack last Monday, an Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) has released its data that describes January 2023 as the ‘deadliest’ month in last five years and views the new year as a challenging one with regard to the pattern and frequency of terrorist attacks.

According to the PICCS report, 134 people were killed and 254 sustained injuries in at least 44 militant attacks across the country.

Although the number of terror incidents slightly declined in January, the number of fatalities increased in the same month. “This is a 139 per cent increase in the number of terrorist attacks,” says the PICCS data adding the pattern of terrorist attacks continued in the New Year, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remaining one of the worst victims.”

In January, overall, two suicide bombings were recorded, one in Peshawar and the other in the Khyber tribal district of the KP province.

According to PICSS data, in the KP, not only did the militant attacks increase from 17 to 27, deaths caused by them also rose from 17 to 116 as compared with December 2022.

Police under fire

Majority of the 232 persons wounded in the Peshawar blast, belongs to the security forces personnel. KP Police were the main target of the militants, the PICCS data shows, adding that Lakki Marwat remained the most troubled district of KP, where most of the militant attacks were reported in January, followed by DI Khan and Peshawar.

Militant attacks were also reported from Bannu, Charsadda, and Swabi, the data further shows. Southern KP has been facing a major militant offensive during the last few months, it says.

Violence in tribal districts of KP (former Federally Administered Tribal Areas or Fata) declined during January and only three militant attacks were reported from the region.

In December 2022, PICSS recorded 11 militant attacks in this region. Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs) are stepped up in erstwhile Fata, which was the main reason militant attacks declined in the area.

Meanwhile, four militant attacks were reported from Punjab in which three security forces personnel were killed, while two low-profile attacks were reported from Sindh in which one person died.

The highest profile attack was carried out in Mianwali district’s Makerwal police station by around two dozen TTP militants a day after the Peshawar suicide attack. This showed the numerical strength of militants and their ability to mobilise armed reinforcements across KP and Punjab border, the think tank noted.

Major attack repulsed

The attack was, however, repulsed and the terrorists had to flee. A video clip is viral on social media in which Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Dr Usman Anwar can be seen meeting and commending police personnel in Mianwali for foiling the terror attack by TTP.

One attack each was reported from Rawalpindi, DG Khan, and Khanewal.