Comparative analysis: K-P sees 35% drop in targeted, sectarian murders in 2016

Terrorism-related killings spiked compared to last year

PESHAWAR: Security situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which has borne the brunt of the Taliban militancy, has seen a marked improvement, though it is far from satisfactory. Comparative study of statistics shows that targeted killings of government officials and sectarian attacks have gone down by nearly 35%.

According to figures released by the Central Police Office in Peshawar, 106 civilian government employees were killed in targeted attacks in the province in 2015, while this year 69 such deadly attacks have taken place thus far. Similarly, eight people have died in sectarian assaults so far this year, while there had been 11 deaths in such attacks last year.



While targeted killings declined, terrorism-related murders have alarmingly seen an upsurge this year. Thirty-five lives were snuffed out by terrorists in 2015, but the numbers have gone up to 61 in the first 10 months of 2016.



There is no denying that incidents of terrorism have dropped substantially, but it is also a fact the menace is far from over, said a senior police official.



“Terrorists had been routed in a series of military operations in tribal regions which began in 2014 – and this resulted in a dramatic decline in terrorist attacks across the country,” the official told The Express Tribune requesting anonymity.

According to the 2015 country reports of the US State Department, the number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan decreased by 45%; the number of deaths came down by 39%; and the number of people injured decreased by 53% in comparison to 2014.

“However, the terrorists have now regrouped in the neighbouring country,” he said while referring to Afghanistan which the terrorists are using as a springboard for launching attacks inside Pakistan. “Since their capability to mount big attacks has largely been downgraded, terrorists are now going after soft targets,” he added. “An individual policeman or government official is an easy, undefended target for them.”

The official said targeted attacks have become a preferred tactic for terrorists.

Asked about the group/groups involved in targeted killings in Peshawar, the official said: “One group is active in the Yakatot area and another is active in the Khazana area, which is on the outskirts of Peshawar. He added that the Yakatot group has been busted as some of their key members have been arrested, but we still have a long way to go to eliminate the scourge.



The official went on to add that terrorism in Pakistan would remain a problem until sanctuaries of terrorists were eliminated in Afghanistan. “I don’t see terrorism dying down as a result of operations and crackdowns as long as terrorists maintain safe havens in Afghanistan,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2016.