THE latest figures regarding the number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan indicate that rather than abating, militant insurgencies in KP and Balochistan continue to take a heavy toll. As per data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict Studies think tank, the country witnessed the highest number of militant attacks in a decade last month; at least 194 people were killed in 143 attacks, most of them security personnel and civilians, while over 230 were injured. KP saw the highest number of attacks, where banned groups such as the TTP have again become active, while Balochistan saw the second highest total, where separatist outfits like BLA have been waging a war against the state. It appears that if we continue on this troubling trajectory, last year’s terrorism-related numbers may be surpassed; according to the PIPS think tank, there were over 520 terrorist attacks in 2024, claiming over 850 lives.

Considering these stark numbers, it is surprising why the outcry against terrorist violence is not louder at both the political and social levels. While there have been large demonstrations in KP — condemning terrorist violence and rejecting continued military operations — the rest of Pakistan seems oblivious to the terrorist threat. Perhaps this is because unlike previous waves, when terrorist groups repeatedly hit the country’s urban centres, this time the violence is mostly limited to the ‘peripheries’, such as the merged tribal districts of KP, and Balochistan. Yet complacency will not buy the state or the public peace. Unless the state employs a holistic counterterrorism policy to permanently uproot the militant threat, this cycle of violence will continue. CT operations alone are not the sole solution; they need to be complemented by multi-sectoral solutions highlighted in NAP and NAP 2.0. People cannot be expected to suffer displacement due to military operations every decade or so, only to see militants return to areas previously cleared. Efforts to check infiltration from Afghanistan must be paired with internal operations to permanently secure territory. Moreover, in Balochistan, along with countering separatist violence, the political process needs to be promoted to help defeat the insurgency. The numbers are very unsettling, and if terrorist groups are not stopped now, they will start looking to expand their areas of operation. The civilian wing of the ruling set-up must clearly enunciate what concrete CT steps it has in mind.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2025