By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Militant attacks in Pakistan fell by 37 percent in October, an Islamabad-based think tank said on Sunday, though kidnappings rose to their highest monthly level in a year.
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) recorded 143 attacks last month, down from 226 in September, with the sharpest improvement in the restive provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The fall follows a September that the institute described as the worst month for militant attacks in 12 years.
“Pakistan witnessed a significant improvement in several key security indicators during October 2026, with terrorist attacks declining by 37 percent, deaths resulting from these attacks falling by 57 percent, and injuries decreasing by 71 percent compared with September,” PICSS said.
Attacks killed 111 people in October, compared with 260 in September. The number injured fell from 242 to 69.
Counting both militant attacks and security operations, the month’s violence claimed 272 lives and left 71 people injured. The dead included 53 security personnel, five peace committee members, 45 civilians and 169 militants. Among the injured were 29 security personnel, 11 peace committee members and 31 civilians.
Suicide attacks dropped sharply. PICSS recorded one in October, which caused no deaths or injuries, against three in September, two of them vehicle-borne, that killed 45 people and injured 138.
Security forces continued operations across the country, killing 156 militants and arresting seven suspects. Two security personnel and three civilians died in those operations, and two more personnel were injured.
Balochistan, which has been Pakistan’s most violent province for most of this year, saw attacks fall by 46 percent, from 132 in September to 71 in October. Deaths from those attacks dropped by about 68 percent, from 136 to 44, and injuries by 41 percent, from 63 to 37. Security operations in the province killed 79 militants, and three civilians died and two security personnel were injured.
In KP, excluding the former tribal areas, PICSS counted 40 attacks, down 31 percent from 58. Deaths fell by about 58 percent, from 90 to 38, and injuries by 88 percent, from 165 to 19. Operations there killed 42 militants, and two security personnel lost their lives.
Punjab recorded two attacks, which killed four people, after none in September. Sindh had no attacks.
The picture was less encouraging on kidnappings, which the think tank called a “serious” concern, particularly in Balochistan. It recorded 88 people abducted in militant incidents nationwide, up 22 percent from 72 in September and the highest monthly figure in 12 months.
Pakistan has faced twin insurgencies in KP and Balochistan, both of which border Afghanistan, and violence has risen in both since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Islamabad accuses Afghanistan-based militants of attacking security forces and civilians and says the groups are helped by the Afghan government.
The figures arrived as the diplomatic dispute over the issue sharpened. On Saturday, Pakistan’s information ministry rejected a statement by the Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who had accused Islamabad of lacking the readiness to resolve the conflict through talks. The ministry said Afghanistan’s failure to act against militants was the main obstacle to normal relations, and declared that “terrorism is a red line” and that Pakistan reserved the right to take “all necessary measures” under international law.
On Sunday, the Foreign Office spokesperson, Sajjad Haider Khan, said Pakistan would welcome efforts by the United States and other friendly countries to facilitate dialogue with Afghanistan, provided Kabul commits to verifiable action against militants. His comments came a day after the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, told a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta that Washington would play a productive role if one were available. Mr Khan said any commitment from Kabul had to cover the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army.
Relations have deteriorated sharply this year. Pakistan has carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan, including on Kabul, and says about 4,700 of its citizens have been killed in attacks originating there over the past three years. Pakistani reports said Afghan forces fired on border posts and homes at Angoor Adda, in Lower South Waziristan, on Tuesday, killing one local resident and injuring five members of a family. Earlier rounds of talks mediated by Qatar and Turkey, and later efforts involving China, produced no breakthrough. Pakistan’s military has vowed to continue operations until militants are completely eliminated.
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