ISLAMABAD: Counterterrorism efforts under the National Action Plan (NAP) and the Zarb-e-Azb military operations have significantly curbed terror attacks in the country, according to an Islamabad-based think tank.

A security assessment report of the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) said the security forces had been proactive during the January-March 2015 quarter. They mounted 312 actions against the insurgents while the latter carried out 232 militant activities.

Altogether 944 people were killed and another 619 wounded in the violent incidents.

“This quarter witnessed a change in the militants’ tactics. They adopted a new strategy of targeting national installations and infrastructure (gas, electricity, etc),” noted the report.

Security forces arrested 1,646 suspected militants in the operations, while the militants kidnapped 49 people during the quarter.

Though militant activities were continuously on the decline in other regions, the report said militancy continued to simmer in Balochistan. The province saw 115 terror attacks, in which 92 people died, 84 others were injured, and 45 were kidnapped.

In the Federally Administered Tribal Areas 104 people were killed and 92 injured in 46 violent encounters. But compared to the last quarter of 2014, this marked a decrease in violent activities and the casualties.

The report said it suggested that military operations in the region have seriously dented militants’ capabilities to carry out their militant activities and they are on the run.

This quarter has also witnessed start of Operation Khyber-II in Khyber Agency by the security forces to weed out militants from the area particularly those pockets on Pakistan-Afghan border that militants were using to move to and from Afghanistan.

Security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also has substantially improved. The report said that 29 terror activities were reported in the province during the first quarter of 2015, in which 51 people were killed while 86 others were injured.

The province seems to be direct beneficiary of military operations in Fata particularly those conducted in adjoining Khyber Agency.

Despite sporadic incidents of significant nature and fears of a blowback of military operations, the security situation in Punjab remained under control. The province witnessed 10 violent activities in which 43 people were killed and 137 civilians were injured.

Security forces have tried to tighten the noose around the militants active in Sindh, which witnessed 31 incidents in which 95 people died and 115 were injured. Security forces have taken on the militants having patronage of political parties and the security situation in the province is likely to improve in the days to come.

PICSS’ security assessment said the situation in Azad Kashmir has remained stable and no militant activity was observed in the autonomous region.

Gilgit-Baltistan and the Islamabad Capital Territory though witnessed some incidents, without ringing any alarm bells.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2015

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