ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: Internecine conflicts and cross-border attacks killed almost 8,000 civilians, militants and security personnel and injured more than 9,650 in Pakistan last year, says a report.

The Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) think-tank in its report for 2008 issued in Islamabad on Monday says the casualties were claimed by terrorist attacks, border clashes, military operations, political and sectarian violence and tribal feuds.The federal capital, Islamabad, faced nine terrorist attacks including six suicide bombings in 2008. More than 112 people were killed and 321 injured in four suicide attacks in Islamabad.

The terrorists targeted the garrison city, Rawalpindi, with eight suicide attacks between July 2007 and December 2008. They hit the twin cities twice in February 2008. Suicide attacks on police at Melody Market, outside the Pakistan Ordnance Factories in Wah Cantonment, and the Marriott hotel were the major suicide attacks last year.

According to the report the highest number of attacks was seen from NWFP (1009), followed by Balochistan (682) and FATA (385), 35 in Punjab, 25 in Sindh, 7 in Islamabad, 4 in Azad Kashmir and one in Northern Areas.

More than 3,182 people were killed and 2,267 injured in operational attacks, 557 injured in clashes between security forces and militants. Political violence took 162 lives and injured 419, As many as 1,336 were killed and 1,662 injured in incidents of sectarian clashes, 395 were killed and 207 injured in border clashes.

Over 95 clashes took place between security forces and militants, 88 incidents of political violence, 191 incidents of inter-tribal sectarian clashes and 55 incidents of borders clashes took place during last year.

At least 2,148 terrorist attacks were reported killing more than 2,267 people and injuring 4,558 during the last year.

Regarding suicide attacks, at least 967 people were killed and 2,108 others injured in 63 suicide attacks during the last year. NWFP faced 32 suicide attacks in which 389 were killed and 688 injured, Punjab was second as 10 suicide attacks claimed more than 201 lives and 580 injuries whereas 16 suicide attacks were reported in FATA killing 263 people and injuring 497.

Similarly, 381 rocket attacks, 46 incidents of beheading, 112 remote control attacks, 110 landmines incidents, 451 incidents of firing and 373 improvised explosives related incidents were recorded during last year.

At least 4,113 suspected terrorists including 30 Al Qaeda suspects, 3,759 terrorists affiliated with the Taliban and Jihadi groups and 354 Baloch insurgents were arrested during the last year.

It is pertinent to note that according to PIPS database, at least 907 people were killed and 1,543 injured in 675 total attacks during 2006, as compared to 3,448 deaths and 5,353 injuries in during 2007.

The report says militants targeted political leaders in the NWFP and FATA in 2008, with leaders of the Awami National Party (ANP) -- which won most of the Provincial Assembly seats in the troubled region and leads a coalition government in the NWFP - the most frequently targeted. As many as 31 ANP activists were killed in a suicide attack in Shabqadar area of Charsadda district on February 9, 2008 - the first time the militants directly targeted the ANP.

Repeated attacks on parking terminals of companies transporting supplies to Nato forces in Afghanistan in the militancy-plagued suburbs of Peshawar, and in the adjacent tribal belt in 2008 hinted at a change of tactics by the militants.

The report says 32 incidents of drone attacks in FATA and one in the NWFP's district of Bannu were reported during the year in review, killing 216 ‘terrorists’ and 84 civilians.

It says although suicide attacks are a relatively recent phenomenon in Pakistan, they have emerged as a major security challenge after a rapid increase in the number and ferocity of such attacks. In 2008, 63 suicide attacks were reported from across Pakistan, claiming 967 lives, including 195 security personnel. Of the 2,130 people injured in these attacks, 401 again were security personnel. During the year, 32 suicide attacks were reported in NWFP, 10 in Punjab, four in Islamabad, one in Balochistan and 16 in the Tribal Areas, whereas military operations against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked elements continued.

The report in its recommendations says there is a need to develop improved counter-terrorism strategies at not only the level of security forces but simultaneously at the political, civil society and the media levels as well. These strategies can only be developed when all stakeholders realize the gravity of the threat. The government, civil society and the media have major responsibilities to develop consensus on the issue.

It says a rise in the number of acts of terrorism also reflects the need for effective, efficient and resourceful policing and law enforcement.

The Federal and provincial governments need to emphasize this aspect and provide better training, skills, equipment and experience sharing with other countries’ forces to deal with the threat in a professional manner.

It said that with the Taliban expanding their network in settled areas of NWFP, their next target could be the Punjab province. The Punjab government and police need to prepare to counter this threat in early stage.