Pakistan experienced its most violent and deadly year in over a decade during 2025, as militant violence surged dramatically across the country. Independent security reports reveal a sharp 34% increase in terrorist incidents, making it the worst period for national security since 2011.
A Year of Soaring Violence and Record Casualties
According to data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the nation witnessed a staggering 3,413 fatalities in 2025, a massive jump from the 1,950 deaths recorded the previous year. Combat-related fatalities alone saw a shocking 74% increase. The independent think tank's findings were corroborated by the 'Pakistan Security Report 2025' from the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), which recorded 699 terror attacks nationwide.
Militants were responsible for over half of all deaths. However, security forces also paid a heavy price, suffering their highest annual losses since 2011. 667 security personnel were killed, marking a 26% rise from 2024. Civilian casualties reached a grim milestone, with 580 non-combatants killed – the highest toll since 2015.
Geographical Epicentres: KP and Balochistan Bear the Brunt
The violence was not evenly distributed. More than 95% of all terrorist attacks were concentrated in just two provinces: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, highlighting severe regional instability.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attacks surged by 40%. The province was the most affected, enduring 413 terrorist incidents that resulted in 581 deaths and 698 injuries. The presence of banned outfits like the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remained entrenched. The report highlighted a wave of sophisticated, simultaneous attacks across 11 districts on Independence Day as a direct symbolic challenge to state authority.
Balochistan witnessed 254 militant attacks, causing 419 deaths and 607 injuries – a 26% increase in incidents. The nature of the insurgency evolved, with groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) moving beyond hit-and-run tactics. They executed coordinated operations including highway blockades, sieges, and hijackings, targeting economic infrastructure and state symbols to further political goals.
Underlying Causes and Regional Tensions
Experts attribute the spike in violence to multiple factors. Abdullah Khan, managing director of PICSS, pointed to an increase in suicide attacks and noted that militants' access to advanced U.S. military equipment left behind in Afghanistan in 2021 had enhanced their operational strength. These weapons eventually reached the Pakistani Taliban and other groups.
The security situation was further exacerbated by persistently strained relations with Afghanistan. Islamabad repeatedly accused Kabul's Taliban administration of ignoring cross-border attacks by militant groups, allegations which Afghanistan denied. Tensions flared significantly after border clashes in October left dozens dead and hundreds injured.
While counter-terrorism operations intensified – leading to a 124% increase in militant fatalities, with 2,138 militants killed – the overall trend of violence has been steadily upward since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. The data paints a clear picture of a nation grappling with a formidable and escalating security challenge, with its western regions bearing the devastating consequences.
