2023 sees highest suicide attacks in Pakistan since 2014: PICSS

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has witnessed a distressing rise in the number of suicide attacks with a staggering 29 such incidents leaving the country terrorised in 2023, data by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) showed on Monday.

According to The News, the surge is said to be at the highest level since 2014.

At least 329 people were killed and 582 individuals were injured in the wake of the suicide attacks in Pakistan this year. Whereas in 2013, 683 people lost their lives in 47 suicide bombings.

As compared to the preceding year, 2022, the report shows a distressing 93% increase in the number of suicide attacks, a 226% rise in resultant deaths, and a 101% surge in the number of injured individuals.

The data shows that there were 623 militant attacks in 2023, as compared to 380 such attacks in 2022. Among total attacks in 2023, 29 were suicide attacks; whereas in 2022, 15 were suicide attacks.

Furthermore, the share of suicide attacks in the total number of attacks escalated from 3.9% in 2022 to 4.7% in 2023, underscoring the severity of the situation. The share was only 1.4% in 2021 and 2.1% in 2020. The highest share of suicide attacks among total militant attacks was reported in 2018 with 18 attacks among the 229 total militant attacks.

As per regional comparisons, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bore the brunt of these attacks, reporting 23 instances that resulted in 254 fatalities and 512 injuries. Within KP, newly merged districts (NMD) 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.

The data further reveals that security forces were the primary targets of these attacks, with civilians constituting the second-largest victim category. A visual representation in the form of pie charts illustrates that 48% of deaths (157) and 58% of injuries (340) were inflicted upon security personnel. The number of civilian casualties was close to these statistics with 130 deaths and 242 injured.

Examining the historical trajectory, PICSS's militancy database indicates a notable decline in suicide attacks from 30 in 2014 to a mere three in 2019. Contrary to the earlier statement, there was no significant surge in 2020 and 2021, as both years witnessed only four attacks each.

The year 2022 witnessed a sudden and significant surge, recording 15 attacks resulting in 101 deaths and 290 injuries. This worrisome trend persisted into 2023, reaching a new high with 29 reported suicide attacks.