The month of September witnessed an escalation in military operation ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The Chief of Army staff reiterated his resolve, “we’ll get rid of the terrorism once and for all”. Meanwhile, in port city Karachi the targeted operation against terrorists and criminals by rangers continued. In a report submitted to Standing Committee on Interior Affairs, Rangers official Colonel Tahir Mehmood said security forces have destroyed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) network in Karachi, the provincial capital of Pakistan’s Sind province beyond repair. Rangers submitted a one-year review report to the committee and briefed the members about the operation in which they arrested hundreds of alleged criminals since it started on September 7 last year.[1]
To have an understanding of the law and order situation in the country and the newly emerging challenges, this report will take a close look at the incidents of violence that took place in the country during the month under review using the following topics:
Deaths off violence in the country during September 2014
Casualties off violence in Balochistan
Casualties off violence in FATA
Casualties off violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
Casualties off violence in Punjab
Casualties off violence in Sindh
Sectarian violence in Pakistan
This report is based on the reports appeared in the national newspapers during the month of September. All efforts are taken to make this report as informative and factual as possible. Errors and omissions, as always a possibility in all statistical works including this one, are expected. However, such mistakes do not grossly affect the basic objective of this report.
CRSS will appreciate receiving comments that the readers may have on this report.
Report prepared by:
Mohammad Nafees
Senior Research Fellow
Center for Research and Security Studies
NOTE: Readers can approach CRSS for source of any information included in the report. Please send your request to: (mail@crss.pk or mohammad.nafees@yahoo.com)
OVERVIEW
Deaths off violence in the country during September 2014:
Killed = 652
Injured = 210
With the escalation in the air raids on the militants’ hideouts in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency, the number of fatalities off violence went up nearly 20% this month (Refer Table 1 and Graph 1). The total casualties of violence were 862 (652 dead and 210 wounded) with FATA losing 329 persons, followed by Sindh (189), KP (58), Balochistan (52), Punjab (14), and Capital (1).
[1] https://crss.pk///story/ttp-network-in-karachi-destroyed-beyond-repair-rangers/
Table 1: Deaths of violence during the month of September 2014:
Graph 1: Deaths of violence during the month of September 2014:
Among the victims of violence, 60% were militants and criminals while civilians and security personnel made up 35% of the total fatalities, a ratio that used to be opposite prior to military operation in FATA (Refer Table 2). A similar downward trend is noticeable in the forms of violence used in carrying out crimes like target killings, militants’ attacks, and sectarian violence. Custodial deaths came down to zero this month after touching the highest figure of 13 in previous month (Refer Table 3).
Table 2: Victims of violence during the month of September 2014:
Table 3: Forms of violence used during the month of September 2014:
As opposed to last month, North Waziristan lost more lives compared to Karachi during the month of September while the situation in Khyber Agency and Turbat remained similar to what was observed last month (Refer graph 2).
Graph 2: Deaths of violence (district-level) during the month of September 2014:
Casualties of violence in Balochistan
Dead = 52
Wounded = 69
A 40% reduction in number of fatalities was observed in Balochistan during the month of September 2014. During this year, the fatalities of violence kept surging and declining in the province of Balochistan with its focal point shifting from one location to another (Refer table 4 and graph 3).
Table 4: Deaths of violence in Balochistan during September 2014:
Graph 3: Deaths of violence in Balochistan during the month of September 2014
The district of Quetta, which is the capital of Balochistan as well, was once highly affected of violence in the province. Since last month, it has been replaced by Turbat. On 1st September, Frontier Corps (FC) carried out an operation in the Gumazai area of Turbat and killed 12 militants. This operation was lasted for several hours and 600 soldiers had taken part in it. In another incident of violence, two militant groups clashed with each in Bal Gitar area of Turbat leaving 11 persons dead. According to the report, the separatist groups had attacked the convoy of Yaqoob Balgatheri, a militant commander of the area suspected of following pro-government policies. The assailants succeeded in killing Yaqoob Balgatheri and Mulla Fazal, and their nine other colleagues during the exchange of fire. (Refer graph 4).
Graph 4: Deaths of violence in Balochistan (district level) during September 2014
Among the victims of violence, the percentage of militants was over 40% followed by civilians with 35% and security officials were less than 10% of the total. A security operation in Wadh area of Khuzdar became controversial when Baloch National Party blamed the security agencies for staging a fake encounter and extra judicial killing of three missing members of their party. FC claimed that the victims belonged to Lashkar-e-Balochistan and United Baloch Army (UBA). There was another report of a mysterious death of Dr Kambar Qazi, the son of Balochi language poet Qazi Mubarak, in an armed clash in Padrak area of Kech on 1st September. No further details were made available and there was no report of any protest or condemnation of this event from any community in the province.
Casualties of violence in FATA
Dead = 329
Wounded = 42
FATA experienced an escalation in security operation that left 299 militants dead. Among the remaining victims of violence 19 were security personnel, and only 11 were civilians (Refer table 5 and graph 5)
Table 5: Deaths of violence in FATA during September 2014:
Graph 5: Deaths of violence in FATA during September 2014
Despite the low percentage of civilian’s fatality the ongoing operation in the region has been a cause of scare for the civil population even in the area that is not highly affected of the operation. The fighter jets and gunship helicopters were used to carry out operation against the hideouts of the militants in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency. In September, twelve reports of air raids on the militants’ hideouts appeared in the press. In retaliation, the militants also carried out their attacks on military check posts and other positions. Even cross border attacks by the Afghanistan-based militants were also reported in the press. On 15 September, nearly 15 to 20 rockets were fired at the FC fort in Speenwam in North Waziristan leaving three soldiers dead and three wounded. Next day, Afghanistan-based militants fired thirteen mortar shells that landed in hilly areas of Landikotal without causing any loss of life. On 17 September, a cross border attack was carried out by 700 Afghanistan-based militants on Dandhi Kach check post that left four soldiers and 20 militants dead.
The locations highly affected of violence in FATA were Miranshah, Tirah, Boya Degan, Tora, Tabai area, and Bara (Refer graph 6).
Graph 6: Deaths from violence in FATA (district-level) during September 2014
Casualties of violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
Dead = 58
Wounded = 49
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lost 58 lives in violence related incidents during this month and 40 of them were civilians. Compared to FATA and other provinces of the country, the fatality of militants in KP was less than 10% of the total number of victims. Even the human loss of security agencies was more than the loss of militants (Refer graph 7). What it reflects is the inefficiency of law enforcement agencies in fighting against the militancy in the province. While the security agencies failed to counter the lawlessness in the province, the target killers and militants had free hand in pursuing their criminal goals (Refer graph 8).
The highest security area in Peshawar, the capital city of KP, also became vulnerable to militants’ attack this month when a suicide attacker targeted the DIG, FC and killed six people and wounded 25 including the DIG. The Tehreek-e-Taliban of Pakistan (TTP) proudly claimed to have carried out this operation. The districts highly affected of violence in KP were Peshawar, Hangu, D.I. Khan, Swat, Mardan and others.
Graph 7: Deaths of violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during September 2014
Graph 8: Deaths of violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during September 2014
Casualties of violence in Punjab
Dead = 14
Wounded = 14
The province of Punjab was comparatively peaceful in terms of violence. Only 14 persons were reported dead. 11 people were killed in target killing and two in robbery. One proclaimed offender was killed in an encounter with the security agencies. Historical data shows that the crime rate in Punjab has been going downward from July onward (Refer table 6).
Table 6: Deaths of violence in Punjab during September 2014:
As a surprise for many observers, the South Asian branch of Al-Qaeda claimed that they had carried out target killing of ISI Brigadier, Zahoor Fazal Qadri, in Sargodha. The Brigadier was attending a religious ceremony at a Sufi shrine in Sargodha when he was targeted along with his brother, the caretaker of the shrine.
Another high profile case in the Punjab was a discovery of an illegal weapon manufacturing factory in D.G. Khan that was found to have involved in making repeaters, Kalashnikov rifles and rifles. According to the report, these weapons were supplied to Tribal Areas and other areas of the Punjab province.
Casualties of violence in Sindh
Dead = 198
Wounded = 36
Karachi:
Dead = 193
Wounded = 34
The province of Sindh lost 198 persons in violence during the month of September 2014 with Karachi being the loser of 193 of them (Refer table 7). The fatality rate of civilians was more than 40% of the total while the militants and criminals had a close to 40% rate of fatality. The loss of security personnel was as low as 9% while the political activists and religious persons also had a similar rate of fatality (Refer graph 9).
Table 7: Deaths of violence in Sindh during September 2014:
Graph 9: Deaths of violence in Sindh during September 2014
Target killing was the major cause of death in Sindh that left 107 persons out of 109 dead in Karachi alone (Refer table 8 and graph 10).
Table 8: Deaths of target killings in Pakistan and Karachi during September 2014:
Graph 10: Target killings in Pakistan and Karachi during September 2014
67 persons died of security operation and 11 persons were put to death in robbery attempts. All of these robbery incidents took place in Karachi with the exception of one in Thatta. Besides target killings and gang war, robberies have become another major cause of death in the city of Karachi. In Karachi, 21 robbers lost their lives, 18 of them were killed in encounters with the security agencies, two were beaten to death by the mob and one was thrown off the bridge by a victim of robbery (Refer table 9).
Table 9: Deaths of robberies in Pakistan and Karachi during September 2014:
Lyari, Orangi Town, Malir, Sohrab Goth, Korangi, and Landhi stood out as the highly affected areas among many other areas of the metropolitan that had their share of violence during the month under review (Refer graph 11).
Graph 11: Locations of violence in Sindh during September 2014
Growing threat of terrorism in Karachi:
Karachi seems to have been in the tight grip of terrorists now. During this month, 15 outlaws were killed in security operation in Karachi who had affiliation with different groups of theTTP. TTP-Waliur Rehman group lost 7 persons, TTP-Bhalu group lost its chief organizer, and TTP core also lost seven persons in different operation in the city [2] [3] [4] [5] [6].
Despite the ongoing operation in Karachi, the militants made an unsuccessful but very daring attempt to penetrate the Naval Base at Dockyard this month. The timely action of Pak Navy commandos resulted in death of two terrorists and apprehension of their four accomplices. This was second attack of terrorists in Karachi that targeted important installations in the city, first being the attack on Karachi Airport in June this year. Interestingly, both the attacks were claimed by TTP as their handy work and in both the incidents insiders were suspected to have had their hands. According to a report, al-Qaeda also made a claim that its men had succeeded in taking a Navy vessel under their control and while they were on their way to hit an American ship the Pakistani armed forces intercepted them and thwarted this attempt[7]. To carry out two daring steps at most sensitive government installations in Karachi within a gap of three months is a good proof of how deeply these banned organizations have entrenched themselves in this largest commercial city of the country.
Sectarian violence in Pakistan
Dead = 26
Wounded = 7
Sectarian violence goes on in the country unabatedly and has claimed 26 lives during this month with Sindh on top among all other provinces showing a loss of 16 persons followed by five in KP, four in Punjab and one in FATA. Most of the districts highly affected of sectarian violence are those whose literacy and economic indicators are comparatively better in the country (Refer graph 12). Like always, Shia community is the highest sufferer of this crime with a loss of 12 persons followed by six Sunnis andfive Sufis. Meanwhile, two Sikhs and one Hindu also lost their lives in violence related incidents.
Graph 12: Locations of sectarian violence in Pakistan during September 2014
Conclusion:
On country level, law and order situation has improved recognizably especially when we look at the reduction rate of fatality of civilians (including civilians, political activists, religious persons, and religious party activists) in comparison with the inclining fatality rate of militants and criminals. During the month of September, more than 400 militants and criminals (60% of the total victims) were killed in different security operations in the country as compared to 246 fatalities of civilians and security officials.
This trend differs when it is reviewed on provincial level. In Balochistan and Sindh, militants and criminals were almost 40% of the total fatalities while in KP and Punjab their fatality rate was less than 10% of the total. The highest fatality rate of militants and criminals was in FATA where they were more than 90% of the total fatalities (Refer table 10).
Table 10: Victims of violence in Pakistan during September 2014:
Civilians = includes political activists, religious persons, and religious party activists
Security/Govt = includes police, frontier corps, army, rangers, khassadars, and government employees.
Militants/Criminals = includes militants, insurgents, separatists, target killers, and robbers
- https://crss.pk///story/ttp-network-in-karachi-destroyed-beyond-repair-rangers/ ↑
- http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-271494-Three-TTP-militants-killed-in-Pak-Colony ↑
- http://tribune.com.pk/story/765005/raids-and-encounters-suspect-behind-asi-babars-killing-shot-dead/ ↑
- http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-270982-Five-criminals-killed-in-shoot-outs ↑
- http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-273351-Seven-%E2%80%98Taliban-terrorists%E2%80%99-killed-in-Sohrab-Goth ↑
- http://tribune.com.pk/story/766729/encounters-notorious-drug-lord-killed-in-raid-conducted-by-cid/ ↑
- http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-272553-Questions-crop-up-over-intensity-of-Dockyard-raid↑