ISLAMABAD: Pakistan witnessed an overall decline in anti-state violence and militant attacks across the country in June, an Islamabad-based think tank said on Wednesday, despite several high-profile attacks taking place in the same month.
According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), at least 262 people were killed and 134 injured in June. Of these, militants accounted for the largest number of casualties, 184, who were killed by Pakistani security forces. The report said 52 civilians and 26 security forces personnel also lost their lives during the month.
The report said that compared to May 2026, killings among Pakistani security forces declined by 62 percent, while civilian deaths dropped by 27 percent. Militant fatalities also registered a 32 percent decrease, the PICSS said.
“The number of militant attacks also declined, falling from 128 in May to 108 in June, a reduction of around 16 percent,” the PICSS said. “However, the country continued to face high-impact attacks, including at least four suicide attacks.”
The report said three of the attacks were vehicle-borne suicide bombings, which included a high-profile attack targeting the paramilitary Rangers force in Karachi last Saturday night.
PICSS said Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province also saw a decline in attacks, with 49 reported in June compared with 71 in May. The tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), formerly known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, also recorded a decline with 17 attacks in June compared with 22 in May, a decrease of 23 percent.
The rest of KP witnessed a slight increase, with 37 attacks reported in June compared with 32 in May, reflecting a 16 percent rise. Sindh also recorded an increase in militant attacks, with four reported in June compared with only one in May. Punjab witnessed only one attack, while no militant attack was reported from Islamabad, Azad Kashmir or Gilgit-Baltistan regions, the PICSS said.
Pakistan has been grappling with twin insurgencies in KP and Balochistan, both bordering Afghanistan, in recent months. It has seen an uptick in militant attacks in the provinces since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan-based militants of attacking law enforcers and civilians in its areas. It also alleges that these groups are facilitated by the Afghan government, charges that Kabul denies.
