Islamabad: Pakistan has ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025, as terror-related fatalities surged by 45% in the past year, reaching 1,081 deaths, according to a report published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
The annual GTI 2025 provides a comprehensive analysis of terrorism trends over the past 17 years, ranking 163 countries (representing 99.7% of the world’s population) based on terrorism impact indicators, including the number of attacks, fatalities, injuries, and hostage incidents.
This marks the fifth consecutive year of increasing terrorism-related deaths worldwide, with Pakistan experiencing its largest year-on-year rise in the past decade. The number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan nearly doubled, rising from 517 in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024, surpassing 1,000 attacks for the first time since the index’s inception.
According to the 12th annual GTI report, released on Wednesday, the number of countries recording terrorist attacks rose from 58 to 66, reversing almost a decade of progress. While conditions deteriorated in 45 countries, improvements were seen in 34 others.
The report highlights that four deadliest terrorist groups fueled the 11% rise in global terrorism-related deaths in 2024. Individual terrorist attacks dominated the West, accounting for 93% of fatal incidents over the past five years.
The Gaza conflict has escalated instability in the Middle East and triggered a surge in hate crimes in the West. Additionally, terror-related deaths increased in Iran, while globally, the highest terrorism-related fatalities were recorded in Burkina Faso, Pakistan, and Syria, with Burkina Faso alone accounting for one-fifth of global deaths.
The banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has emerged as one of the fastest-growing terrorist organizations, responsible for a 90% rise in terror-related deaths. It remained Pakistan’s deadliest terrorist group for the second consecutive year, accounting for 52% of all terror-related deaths in the country in 2024.
Last year, TTP carried out 482 attacks, resulting in 558 fatalities, a 91% increase from the previous year’s 293 deaths. The report attributes the surge in terrorist activities in Pakistan to the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, which has provided TTP operational freedom and cross-border safe havens, particularly along the Pak-Afghan border.
The provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been the hardest hit, with over 96% of terrorist attacks and fatalities occurring in western border regions.
TTP has capitalized on its expanded freedom of movement to launch more coordinated attacks, primarily targeting security forces and critical infrastructure to undermine state authority. In response, the Government of Pakistan has launched counterterrorism measures such as "Operation Azm-e-Istahkam".
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was responsible for the deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistan in 2024, when a suicide bomber targeted Quetta Railway Station, killing at least 25 civilians and military personnel.
Baloch separatist groups, including BLA and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), have intensified attacks amid ongoing political and security instability. Their attacks surged from 116 in 2023 to 504 in 2024, with fatalities quadrupling from 88 to 388.
These groups oppose the government's resource extraction policies in Balochistan, claiming they exploit natural resources without benefiting the local population. They have also targeted Chinese investments, particularly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), alleging that the project marginalizes the Baloch people.
