Overview
A total of 152 terrorist attacks were reported across Pakistan, including five suicide blasts, during the month of March, representing an increase of about 18 percent as compared to previous month, which left 220 people dead, 11 percent less than those killed in such attacks in previous month, and 483 others injured. The increase in the number of terrorist attacks was largely contributed by the heightened attacks by nationalist insurgents in Balochistan and by the Taliban militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Nonetheless a chunk of casualties in terrorist attacks in Pakistan during the month under review was concentrated in Karachi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

Out of total 152 reported terrorist attacks across Pakistan, 17 were sectarian in nature that claimed the lives of 65 people and injured 141 others. Meanwhile the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups perpetrated 103 attacks across Pakistan causing the death of 128 people and inflicting injuries on 286 others. Another 27 people lost their lives and 56 were injured in 32 attacks carried out by nationalist insurgents in Balochistan.

Maximum number of casualties in terrorist attacks (100 dead and 168 injured) was reported from Karachi, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where 61 people were killed and 180 others injured in 51 reported attacks. Although sectarian-related terrorist attacks significantly decreased in Balochistan, the number of attacks by nationalist insurgents and resulting casualties rose. Also, geographical spread of insurgents’ attacks in Balochistan widened to 18 districts during the reporting month compared to 10 in previous month. The security situation in FATA remained more or less the same as in previous month with 30 people killed and 76 injured in 30 reported attacks. However the number of security forces personnel killed and injured in terrorist attacks in FATA during the reporting month was far higher than in previous month. Secondly, four terrorist attacks were reported from Bajaur Agency of FATA after a lull of about three months. Two attacks were also reported from Punjab and one from Gilgit Baltistan during the month. (See Chart 1)

Chart 1: Terrorist Attacks in Pakistan in March 2013

When counted together in above mentioned terrorist attacks, operational attacks by the security forces and their clashes with the militants, incidents of ethno-political violence, inter-militant clashes, and cross-border attacks as well as drone strikes, the overall number of the people killed during the month stood at 504 and those of injured at 597 in a total of 206 reported incidents of violence of different types. (See Table 1)

Compared to previous month, the number of overall incidents of violence and consequent casualties increased in the reporting month. The increase in the number of violent incidents was mainly due to an increase in the number of terrorist attacks during the reporting month whereas the increase in casualties was largely contributed by a reported increase in the number of militants killed and injured during the inter-militant clashes.

Chart 2: Comparison with Last Three Months’ Figure

Militants faced the highest number of fatalities compared to civilians and the security forces as 252 militants were killed during the month in security forces’ operational attacks and clashes with militants and also inter-militants clashes. As many as 190 civilians and 62 personnel of security forces were also killed during the month. (See Chart 3, Table 2)

Chart 3: Detail of Overall Casualties

As in past several months, firing or direct shootout and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were the most frequently used tactic by militants to hit their targets with 67 and 37 reported attacks, respectively. Five suicide blasts and 16 remote controlled bomb (RCB) blasts were among the other foremost tactics used by the militants in this month. (See Table 3)