ISLAMABAD: Pakistan was the seventh most affected country for civilians harmed by explosive weapons in 2024, with 790 civilian casualties and 210 killings, recorded across 248 incidents in the country, according to a report released by UK-based NGO, Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) on Thursday.

Titled, ‘Action on Armed Violence’ (AOAV), the report notes that the casualties in 2024 represent a nine per cent decrease from 2023. However, there was a 11 per cent increase in incidents compared to 218 in 2023. Pakistan was listed at seventh position among the 15 most affected countries and territories in 2024.

The majority of civilians harmed was attributed to non-state actors, who were reported responsible for 76pc of civilian casualties. In particular, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) killed and injured 119 civilians in Pakistan last year.

The BLA is among the biggest non-state users of explosive weapons in 2024, and it was the reported perpetrator of 15pc civilian casualties, marking a 440pc increase from 22 incidents recorded in 2023. Unknown non-state actors accounted for 54pc of civilian casualties (423), down from 541 recorded civilian casualties in 2023.

All suicide bombings in the country were carried out by non-state actors, most notably, of the known non-state actors, were the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), who were responsible for 2pc of all 9 incidents, but 89pc (92) of civilian casualties resulting from suicide bombings. Unknown non-state actors accounted for 6pc (5) of incidents, and 11pc of civilian casualties.

Overall, 2024 saw the highest number of recorded incidents in Pakistan since 2014, and the second highest number of civilian casualties since 2018, and the second highest number of armed actor casualties since 2015.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2025