Pakistan's Deadliest Year in a Decade: 74% Surge in Combat Deaths Amid Rising Militant Attacks

Pakistan has witnessed its deadliest year in over a decade, with a staggering 74% increase in combat-related deaths in 2025. According to a report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a total of 3,413 people lost their lives in violence, with militant groups accounting for over half of the fatalities. The report highlights a significant rise in militant deaths, with 2,138 militants killed in 2025, a 124% increase from the previous year. This surge is attributed to intensified counterterrorism operations against the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), a group that has intensified attacks on Pakistan's security forces in recent years. PICSS managing director Abdullah Khan attributes the high death toll to a rise in suicide bombings and the militants' use of US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan in 2021. This equipment has increased the operational capabilities of militant groups, including the TTP. The report also notes a 26% increase in security personnel fatalities, with 667 personnel killed in 2025, the highest annual figure since 2011. Additionally, 580 civilians were reported dead, the highest annual toll since 2015. A total of 28 members of pro-government peace committees also lost their lives. The PICSS report reveals that multiple militant groups, including the TTP, claimed most attacks in 2025. Security forces arrested about 500 militants during intelligence-based operations last year, up from 272 in 2024. The border violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been a major concern, with tensions running high since October following border clashes that killed dozens and wounded hundreds. Pakistan's newly appointed armed forces chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has called on Afghanistan's Taliban government to choose between maintaining ties with Islamabad or supporting the Pakistani Taliban.