Sharp Rise in Terrorist Violence in Pakistan: 722 Killed in Third Quarter of 2024
In the third quarter of 2024, Pakistan saw a significant increase in terrorist violence, with a 90% surge in incidents. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), 722 people were killed, including civilians, security personnel, and terrorists, while 615 others were injured across 328 recorded incidents.
Nearly 97% of these fatalities occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Balochistan, marking the highest percentage in a decade. Over 92% of the terror attacks and security operations were also recorded in these provinces. The total number of fatalities for the first three quarters of 2024 has now surpassed the total fatalities recorded for all of 2023, with at least 1,534 fatalities compared to 1,523 last year.
Pakistan’s struggle to combat terrorism is due to historical decisions, inconsistent policies, governance challenges, and the resilience of terror groups. The rise in violence suggests a failure of security measures and governance, as extremist groups exploit local grievances and socio-political instability. Factors such as political instability, economic hardship, and unresolved ethnic tensions may also be motivating terrorist organizations.
Pakistan’s counterterrorism policies have been inconsistent, often influenced by external pressures. Military operations like Zarb-e-Azb (2014) and Radd-ul-Fasad (2017) were launched in response to specific attacks but were not part of a comprehensive long-term strategy. High levels of poverty, unemployment, and lack of education have fueled radicalization, and the government has struggled to implement effective social programs to address these issues. According to the Human Development Index, Pakistan ranks low in education and income levels, which correlate with susceptibility to extremism.
Doubts Revealed
Terrorist Violence -: Terrorist violence means harmful actions done by groups or individuals to scare people and create fear. These actions can include bombings, shootings, or other attacks.
Pakistan -: Pakistan is a country in South Asia, next to India. It has a lot of people and different cultures.
Third Quarter -: The third quarter of a year means the months of July, August, and September.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa -: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a province in Pakistan. It’s located in the northwestern part of the country.
Balochistan -: Balochistan is another province in Pakistan. It’s the largest province by area and is in the southwestern part of the country.
Historical Decisions -: Historical decisions are important choices made in the past that affect the present. For Pakistan, these could be choices about politics, wars, or alliances.
Inconsistent Policies -: Inconsistent policies mean rules or plans that keep changing and are not steady. This can make it hard to solve problems.
Socio-political Instability -: Socio-political instability means that the society and government are not stable. There might be protests, fights, or changes in leadership that make things uncertain.
