Terror incidents in KP reduced by 61pc compared to 2015

PESHAWAR: The number of terror incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued to be on the decline with official statistics revealing 61 percent reduction in attacks during the current year if compared with 2015.

The improvement is 76 percent once the figures of 2018 are compared with terror attacks in 2009. The official statistics of the KP Police revealed 177 incidents of various kinds of terrorism including bomb blasts, suicide attack, rocket attacks, target killing, extortion and kidnapping were reported in the province during the current year.

The number of terrorist attacks in 2017 was 246 while 444 incidents were reported in 2016 and 456 in 2015, revealed the official figures of the KP Police. The worst year for the people of the province was 2009 when 728 terror attacks were reported all over KP in which 976 people including 107 soldiers, 22 FC men and 149 policemen were martyred. As many as 2929 people were wounded in these attacks.

The situation later started improving after military operations and actions by the police, Frontier Constabulary and other forces in the settled areas. As per the official figures of the Counter-Terrorism Department till December 20, a total of 177 incidents of various kinds of terrorism were reported in KP during 2018. Out of these, 38 incidents were of bomb blasts and other terrorist attacks, 62 cases were of extortion, 33 of target killing and 12 incidents were of kidnapping for ransom.

The worst attacks included the one of a candidate of the Awami National Party Haroon Ahmad Bilour in Kohati when he arrived to address a political gathering. At least 22 other people were martyred along with Haroon in the attack.

A former minister Ikramullah Gandapur also fell victim to another suicide attack in his hometown in Kulachi Dera Ismail Khan a few days before the July 25 general elections. The number of bomb blasts and other violent attacks was 58 in 2017, 127 in 2016 and 121 in 2015. These included some of the worst suicide attacks including the attack on Bacha Khan University, Agriculture Training Institute and other major incidents.

As per the compiled statistics, the number of cases of extortion was 71 in 2017, 67 in 2016 and 117 in 2015. Besides, 33 incidents of target killing were reported in 2017, 82 in 2016 and 63 in 2015. As far as kidnapping for ransom is concerned, 11 incidents were reported last year, 21 in 2016 and 33 in 2015.

KP has witnessed some of the worst terrorist attacks like that of the Army Public School, the Meena Bazaar blast and attacks on many mosques, funerals and other occasions in the last almost one and a half decade.

Some of the key political figures including former senior minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour, his son Haroon Ahmad Bilour, two former ministers and real brothers Ikramullah Khan Gandapur, Israrullah Khan Gandapur, some other lawmakers and political stalwarts were targeted in these attacks in the last many years.