ISLAMABAD: Over 400 people were killed in violence perpetrated by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) over the past five months — a period during which the government tried to engage the militant group in a peace process aimed at ending their hostilities.

“Since Sept 10 last year, following an All-Party Conference (APC), 460 innocent people — 308 civilians, 114 soldiers and 38 policemen — have embraced shahadat due to terrorist acts throughout the country,” a military official said while releasing the data. It is rare for the army to officially release the cumulative casualty figure from militant violence.

The release of the shocking figures followed suspension of the government’s dialogue with TTP due to the killing of 23 Frontier Corps soldiers and 13 Karachi policemen in attacks claimed by the militant group.

The figure for those injured in these attacks stood at 1,264 – 684 civilians, 531 military men and 49 policemen.

The APC held on Sept 9, 2013, had unanimously “called upon the federal government to initiate the dialogue”.

Soon after the olive branch was offered by the political leadership to the militants, TTP struck by assassinating Gen Sanaullah Niazi, the commander of the army’s division deployed in Swat. The militant leadership then claimed that it was “testing the sincerity of the government” and continued with its strikes.

Political analysts here are of the opinion that the rampaging violence increased pressure on the government for action against the militants, but the PML-N government, supported in the peace initiative by some groups, persisted with the dialogue offer.

In addition to the military and security personnel, religious and sectarian minorities, polio vaccinators, media workers and signs of moderation like cinema houses have been the primary TTP targets.

Initially, the government and opposition PTI blamed US drone attacks for their failure to coax TTP into talks.

Despite the unannounced break in drone attacks by the US, under pressure from Islamabad and human rights groups campaigning against drones, the analysts said, terrorist attacks continued.

Amidst intensifying attacks, the government at one point in January this year, appeared to have made up its mind to strike back and the military even on one occasion after the Bannu and Rawalpindi RA Bazaar attacks carried out a daylong targeted operation that inflicted serious damage to TTP, but PM Sharif again surprised everyone by renewing the talks offer.

The release of the figures by military was apparently meant for countering the TTP propaganda that their fighters were being killed in captivity by law-enforcement agencies.