ISLAMABAD: With a noticeable decrease in the overall number of fatalities, the second quarter of 2023 saw an almost 21 per cent decline in violence, data by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) suggested.

The number of fatalities decreased from 358 in the first quarter to 284 in the next, as per a report.

During the second half of the year 2023, some 284 people lost their lives and 291 suffered injuries from as many as 176 incidents of terrorism and counter-terror operations. Security officials were the biggest victims.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan were the primary focus of terror attacks, where more than 80pc of all casualties and 88pc of all attacks (including terrorist attacks and security forces operations) in the country were recorded. Islamabad Capital Territory, Punjab, and Sindh experienced relatively fewer incidents of violence in comparison to KP and Balochistan, according to the findings of CRSS.

While Balochistan was the only province to witness a surge in violence (fatalities) by 14pc, the most significant percentage decrease in violence was seen in Sindh province which was nearly 80pc, followed by Punjab with 55pc, and KP with 20pc, compared to the previous quarter.

Nearly 62pc of the casualties recorded in the second quarter resulted from terrorism; where 121 terrorist attacks caused 165 fatalities and 191 injuries of civilians and security personnel. On average, one security operation was conducted every second day. However, the number of terror attacks exceeded this frequency, with more than one attack occurring per day; where a significant portion of these attacks specifically targeted security personnel. The security officials were the biggest victims of these 121 incidents of terrorism, suffering 103 fatalities, followed by civilians who suffered 62 fatalities.

Compared to these 165 fatal victims of terrorism, the outlaws comprising militants, insurgents, and criminals only suffered 119 fatalities as a result of 55 security forces’ counter-terror operations.

The fatalities of security personnel continue to surge from 2021 onward. In the first two quarters of 2023, their fatal losses (267) make up almost 93pc of the fatalities witnessed during the entire preceding year (286). The human losses of security forces may double by the end of this year if this trend continues.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2023