A wave of terrorist attacks swept across the country in the last 48 hours, with at least 57 attacks being reported across multiple provinces, beginning on Friday night.
According to data gathered by Khabar Kada, the attacks resulted in at least 16 deaths and 46 injuries in total. The attacks occurred across 23 different districts in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
The attacks, which ranged from sniper hits and fire raids to suicide bombings and IED blasts, were orchestrated by the banned Baloch Liberation Army and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
The most lethal attack was the suicide bombing on a paramilitary convoy in Noshki on Sunday. Attackers from the Baloch Liberation Army rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the eight-vehicle convoy, resulting in the martyrdom of three FC soldiers. Two civilian drivers also perished in the attack.
The attacks began as the banned TTP announced its spring offensive ‘Al-Khandaq’ to target security forces across the country.
On Friday night, the Counter-Terrorism Department arrested a suicide bomber in Lahore affiliated with the TTP after an intelligence-based operation, successfully foiling a major attack.
Next day, a grenade was hurled at well-known cleric Munir Shakir in Peshawar, injuring him. Although initial reports said he was out of danger, Shakir was later confirmed dead in Lady Reading Hospital.
Later, an IED killed one and injured seven members of the Anti-Terrorist Force on Quetta’s Karani road. In Peshawar, a policeman was killed in an attack on the Michni Gate check post in Peshawar. Another police official was killed in Takh-i-Nusrati, Karak.
Attacks also began against non-security installations. A paramilitary official was killed a nd another injured when a gas well was attacked in Karak’s Esak Khumari area. Also in Karak, the Manzalai-5 well in Karak district was attacked by terrorists but locals fought with FC to repel the attack.
Another nine security officials were injured when the Garigal border post in Bajaur was fired upon by terrorists.
In Punjab, two people affiliated with the Jamat-ud-Dawa’s welfare wing Anjuman-e-Falah-e-Insaniat were gunned down. The deceased included Naseemur Rahman and his guard.
In Tank, the situation deteriorated to such a degree that curfew had to be imposed in the district.
Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) said in a recent report that there was a total of 79 terrorist attacks in the entire month of February across the country, resulting in the deaths of 55 civilians and 47 security forces personnel. However, with 57 attacks in 48 hours, the pace of attacks has dramatically increased.
Meanwhile, Rana Sanaullah, advisor to the prime minister, said that Indian intelligence agency RAW is the ‘mother of all terrorist’ organisations in Pakistan.
