With more than 2,500 people killed in violent incidents, 2024 has become a deadly year for Pakistan’s security forces in over a decade, reflecting a dramatic escalation in unrest across the country.
According to media reports, 444 attacks targeting security forces resulted in the deaths of 685 personnel, while overall violence claimed 2,546 lives, including 1,612 civilians. The provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were hardest hit, with nearly 94 percent of all fatalities occurring there.
On average, seven people were killed each day in 2024, making it a year marked by relentless bloodshed. November was the deadliest month, with a sharp rise in casualties.
These figures, drawn from the annual security report by the Center for Research and Security Studies, underscore the severity of the crisis. Additionally, 2,267 people were injured in violent incidents, further straining resources and highlighting the human cost of the ongoing unrest.
A comparison with 2023 reveals an alarming trend:
• Fatalities increased by 66 percent, rising from 1,533 in 2023 to 2,546 in 2024.
• Injuries rose by 55 percent, from 1,462 to 2,267.
• The number of violent incidents surged by 49 percent, from 784 to 1,166.
The escalation in violence presents a mounting challenge for Pakistan’s security forces, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which accounted for 89 percent of all reported incidents.
