ISLAMABAD: One more than the month before, 25 terrorist attacks took place across Pakistan during March 2018, which killed 37 people – 19 civilians, 14 policemen, 2 FC men and 2 militants – and inflicted injuries on 55 others. As many as 13 attacks or 52 percent of the total attacks, targeted personnel of security and law enforcement agencies, Pakistan Institute of peace studies (PIPS) monthly report announced.
As in past several months, in March too, the highest number of terrorist attacks for any one region of the country was reported from Baluchistan. As many as 13 terrorist attacks in the province claimed 15 lives and injured as many others. A combined total of 10 terrorist attacks happened in FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) – including 7 in the former and 3 in the latter – that killed in all 7 people and wounded 20 others.
A single suicide blast reported form Punjab claimed 13 lives and wounded 17 others. One terrorist attack also took place in Karachi causing one death and injuring to two people.
On the whole, 11 cross-border attacks happened inside Pakistan in March – including 9 from India, and one from each of the Afghan and Iranian borders – which claimed 3 lives (2 civilians and one FC trooper) and injured 25 others.
Security and law enforcement agencies conducted 7 operational strikes against militants in March 2018, 3 in Baluchistan, 2 in FATA and as many others in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These actions killed 9 militants and claimed the lives of 2 FC men. A total of 6 armed clashes and encounters between security forces and militants were also recorded during the month under review. A total of 8 militants were killed in these attacks; one civilian and one policeman also lost these lives and 2 policemen were injured in these incidents.
In all, 49 incidents of violence of different types took place in Pakistan in March 2018 that claimed the lives of 61 people and injured 86 others.
Published in Daily Times, April 7th 2018.