Islamabad: Pakistan, known for sponsoring cross-border terrorism, witnessed the highest number of suicide attacks this year after 2014, with nearly half of them targeting the security forces, Dawn News reported.

Citing the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), Dawn reported, "A staggering 29 suicide attacks were reported, resulting in the tragic loss of 329 lives and leaving 582 individuals injured."

"As many as 48 per cent of deaths and 58 per cent of injuries were inflicted upon security personnel. This marks the highest death toll since 2013 when 683 people lost their lives in 47 suicide bombings," it stated.

Comparing the data to the preceding year, 2022, the report revealed a distressing 93 pc increase in the number of suicide attacks, a shocking 226 pc rise in resultant deaths, and a troubling 101 pc surge in the number of injured individuals.

Furthermore, the share of suicide attacks in the total number of attacks escalated from 3.9 pc in 2022 to 4.7 pc in 2023, underscoring the severity of the situation.

The most attacks occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with 23 instances that resulted in 254 deaths and 512 injuries. Within KP, newly merged districts or erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) experienced 13 suicide attacks, leading to 85 deaths and 206 injuries. Balochistan faced five attacks, causing 67 deaths and 52 injuries, while Sindh witnessed one suicide attack, resulting in eight deaths and 18 injuries.

A visual representation in the form of pie charts illustrates that 48 per cent of deaths and 58 per cent of injuries were inflicted upon security forces personnel.

Examining the historical trajectory, PICSS's militancy database indicates a notable decline in suicide attacks, from 30 in 2014 to a mere three in 2019. There was no significant surge in 2020 and 2021, as both years witnessed only four attacks each.

The year 2022 witnessed a sudden and significant surge, recording 15 attacks resulting in 101 deaths and 290 injuries and this worrisome trend persisted into 2023.