In 2023, Pakistan faced an alarming upswing in suicide attacks, reaching levels not seen since 2014, as reported by The News based on data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).
Shockingly, there were 29 suicide attacks during the year, resulting in a tragic toll of 329 lives lost and 582 individuals injured. This grim statistic marks the highest death toll since 2013.
Comparing 2023 to the preceding year, 2022, the data reveals a distressing 93% increase in the number of suicide attacks, a staggering 226% rise in resultant deaths, and a troubling 101% surge in the number of injured individuals.
Out of a total of 623 militant attacks in 2023, 29 were suicide attacks, a significant increase from the 15 reported in 2022.
The share of suicide attacks in the total number of incidents rose from 3.9% in 2022 to 4.7% in 2023, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Regionally, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) bore the brunt of these attacks, reporting 23 instances resulting in 254 fatalities and 512 injuries.
Newly merged districts (NMD) within KP experienced 13 suicide attacks, leading to 85 deaths and 206 injuries.
Balochistan faced five attacks, causing 67 deaths and 52 injuries, while Sindh witnessed one suicide attack resulting in eight deaths and 18 injuries.
Security forces were the primary targets, comprising 48% of deaths (157) and 58% of injuries (340), while civilians constituted the second-largest victim category with 130 deaths and 242 injuries.
Analyzing historical data, PICSS’s militancy database reveals a decline in suicide attacks from 30 in 2014 to three in 2019. Contrary to this trend, 2020 and 2021 saw only four attacks each.
The sudden surge in 2022, recording 15 attacks, persisted into 2023, reaching a concerning new high with 29 reported suicide attacks.
