ISLAMABAD: The first month of the year 2022 could not see any improvement in the security situation of the country as the number of causalities increased despite a slight decrease in the attacks.

According to statistics released by an Islamabad-based independent think-tank, Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the number of violent attacks decreased from 28 to 24 during the month, the deaths and injuries rate increased by 15 per cent and 37 per cent, respectively, compared to December 2021.

The report claimed that militants had carried out 28 attacks across the country in December 2021 in which 36 people were killed, including 13 security forces personnel, while 47 people were injured, including 37 civilians.

In January, the militants carried out 24 attacks in which 42 people were killed — 22 security forces personnel,16 civilians and four militants — and 79 others were injured, including 62 civilians.

In January 2022, the majority of the attacks took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) followed by Balochistan and erstwhile Fata. PICSS recorded 12 militant attacks in KP in which 15 people were killed, including five security forces personnel and nine civilians, while seven people were injured including four security forces personnel.

In Balochistan, militants carried out six attacks in which 17 people were killed — 14 security forces personnel and two civilians — while 32 people got injured of which 26 were civilians and six were security forces personnel.

In the erstwhile Fata, four militant attacks were witnessed in which two civilians and two security forces personnel were killed.

In Punjab, only one attack took place in which three people were killed, including one security forces personnel, and 33 civilians were injured.

In Sindh, no militant attack took place.

One militant attack was reported in Islamabad in which three people were killed, including one security forces personnel.

Meanwhile, security forces arrested three suspected militants and killed four militants in Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2022