ISLAMABAD :

 

A MAJOR surge in terror attacks and swelling number of civilian casualties has propelled Pakistan to the second spot in the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025. The latest GTI report, published by Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP), is a compilation of 163 countries worldwide, which make up for at least 99.7 per cent of the world’s population. GTI evaluates indicators, including the number of terrorist incidents, casualties, injuries and hostages, and their impact on terrorism. Pakistan witnessed an alarming 45% increase in terrorism-related deaths, with the total rising from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024 — one of the steepest surges globally, pushing it to the second spot from its previously fourth position, ‘Geo News’ reported, citing the report.

 

 

The banned terror outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has emerged as the fastest-growing group and the deadliest organisation in the country for the second consecutive year, with at least 90 pc increase in attributed deaths. During 2024, TTP carried out 482 attacks in Pakistan, resulting in 585 deaths, an increase of at least 91 pc from the previous year that witnessed 293 deaths. “TTP was responsible for 52 per cent of deaths in Pakistan in 2024. Pakistan has experienced a significant rise in terrorism since the Taliban’s rise in Afghanistan.

 

Terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan have intensified their attacks” the report mentioned. Furthermore, the report mentions the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) for being responsible for the deadliest terror attack of 2024, when a suicide bomber killed at least 25 civilians and soldiers at Quetta railway station.