ISLAMABAD: A total of 203 people lost their lives and 966 were wounded resulting from various forms of violence during the April-June quarter of this year. The brunt of violence was borne by civilians in the quarter, followed by an alarming rise in fatalities of security personnel. This was reported in the Security Report of second quarter of 2021 released by Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) here.
According to the report, the highest number of fatalities from violence was in Balochistan (74), FATA (39), Sindh (39), KP (35), Punjab (8), Islamabad (4), and 4 additional persons in locations unknown as victims of violence carried out by TLP protesters in April. Combining KP and FATA fatalities equal that of Balochistan at 74. While Punjab and former FATA experienced a significant drop in violence (down by 64% and 43% respectively), Balochistan and Sindh witnessed a 50% plus an uptick in violence. KP (excluding FATA) had a marginal surge of 9% this quarter, it said. Besides, an unprecedented upsurge in the number of wounded persons was a result of the countrywide violent protest by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan on a blasphemy-related issue left four people dead and 800 wounded.
The use of guns for target killing remained the most common form of weapon used in violence and all regions of the country were affected by it. In KP (including former FATA), the targets of this violence were a leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), a former member of the Peace Committee, and a lawyer besides some other unknown civilians, the report said. The frequency of armed attacks increased this quarter.
Civilians bore the brunt of violence this quarter. The outlaws (militants, criminals, and insurgents) also witnessed a negligible drop in the number of their fatalities and the percentage as well. The security personnel’s fatalities accounted for 30% of the total fatalities. The combined percentage of the civilian and security personnel is 73% in the second quarter as compared to 71% in the first quarter.
