The year 2023 in Pakistan bore witness to a surge in violence-related incidents, marking a grim escalation in conflict and turmoil across the nation, as revealed in the annual security report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). Here’s a breakdown of the key findings:
National Overview:
- Violence-Related Fatalities: 1,524
- Injuries from Attacks: 1,463
- Terror Attacks & Counter-Terror Operations: 789 incidents
Regional Impact:
- Epicenters of Violence: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan
- Fatalities: Over 90% of all deaths
- Attacks: Accounted for 84% of recorded incidents
- Relatively Peaceful Regions: Punjab and Sindh
- Together witnessed only 8% of total fatalities
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Surge in Violence:
- Alarming Escalation: 56% surge in violence compared to the previous year
- Fatalities: Balochistan and KP witnessed a 57% and 55% increase respectively
- Sectarian Violence: Resulted in the tragic loss of 203 lives, 88 of whom were security officials
Militant Attacks Surge:
- Unprecedented Rise: Militant attacks surged by 69%
- Total Attacks: 641 incidents
- Resultant Deaths: 974 fatalities recorded
- Injuries: 1,351 individuals wounded
Regional Impact of Militant Attacks:
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP):
- Fatalities: 620, including 306 security forces personnel
- Injuries: 977
- Balochistan:
- Fatalities: 285, involving 114 security forces personnel
- Injuries: 388
- Sindh:
- Incidents: 35 militant attacks
- Fatalities: 39 individuals
- Injuries: 35
Rise in Militant Activities Across Regions:
- Mainland KP: 84% increase in militant attacks
- FATA (now merged districts): 59% rise in militant attacks
- Balochistan: 65% surge in militant attacks
- Sindh: 40% increase in militant attacks
- Punjab: Witnessed an unprecedented rise in militant activities
Other Regions:
- Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan: Each experienced one militant attack during 2023
The surge in violence and militant activities depicted a concerning trend, marked by an unprecedented escalation in conflict across various regions of Pakistan, emphasizing the pressing need for heightened security measures and interventions to address the escalating crisis.