According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, Pakistan has now become the second-most terrorism-affected country, moving up from fourth place due to a significant rise in casualties and incidents from 2023 to 2024. The country saw a shocking 45% increase in terrorism-related deaths, rising from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024, marking one of the highest surges globally.
This alarming rise in violence was accompanied by a dramatic increase in the number of terrorist attacks, which more than doubled, from 517 in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024. This marks the first time in the Index’s history that attacks have exceeded the 1,000 mark in a single year.
In the latest incident, Pakistani forces successfully thwarted a terrorist attack on Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing all 16 militants involved. However, the attack still resulted in the tragic loss of five soldiers and 13 civilians.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains the deadliest terrorist group in the country, responsible for 52% of terrorism-related deaths. The TTP’s activity surged in 2024, with 482 attacks leading to 558 deaths—a sharp increase of 90% from the previous year. The group has benefitted from the increased operational freedom provided by the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, using the country’s territory as a safe haven to plan and execute attacks.
Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, both bordering Afghanistan, are the provinces most heavily affected by terrorism, accounting for over 96% of all attacks and deaths in Pakistan. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was also responsible for the deadliest attack of 2024, when a suicide bombing at Quetta railway station killed at least 25 people.
The report highlights that the increasing attacks by groups like the TTP and BLA coincide with the intensification of terrorism in Pakistan, as these groups exploit the unstable political situation in Afghanistan.
In response, the Pakistani government has intensified counter-terrorism efforts, including Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, launched by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in June 2024. This operation focuses on airstrikes targeting militant camps in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, aiming to disrupt the activities of groups like the TTP and eliminate their leaders.
As the situation continues to escalate, Pakistan faces growing challenges in combating terrorism, with neighboring Afghanistan’s instability playing a significant role in the increase in violence.
