2025-04-04T10:02:37.000Z

---

In a staggering escalation of violence, Pakistan has witnessed over 100 deadly attacks attributed to Islamist militants and separatist rebels in March, marking the most lethal month in over a decade. According to a devastating report released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) on Thursday, the death toll for March reached a grim total of 335 individuals, with 228 of those fatalities linked directly to militant activities.

The report details that among the deceased were 73 members of the security forces, including brave soldiers and police officers, as well as 67 civilians caught in the crossfire, and 88 militants who lost their lives during these violent encounters. The primary culprits behind these attacks include the notorious Islamist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Both groups have been increasingly active, further exacerbating the ongoing security crisis in the region.

One of the most alarming incidents involved the BLA’s audacious hijacking of the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan, which lasted for an agonizing 28 hours. This operation left a severe impact, with approximately 450 passengers taken hostage and more than two dozen tragically killed. Balochistan has emerged as the hardest-hit province in Pakistan, suffering the brunt of these militant activities.

In addition to Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, located in the northwest of Pakistan, has also been significantly affected. The region has seen a worrying surge in suicide bombings, a particularly brutal form of attack that rose notably in March. Meanwhile, the eastern province of Punjab, which borders India, has also reported a marked increase in militant operations, with at least seven attacks recorded, the majority of which were attributed to the TTP.

In light of this alarming trend, Pakistan’s security forces have ramped up their operations to combat the escalating threat. Numerous individuals with known ties to militant organizations, including the TTP, have been arrested as part of these intensified efforts. The situation has prompted Islamabad to assert that most attacks, whether conducted by militants or separatists, are orchestrated from across the border in Afghanistan. Pakistani officials have accused the Afghan government of providing militants with a safe haven to plan and execute their assaults.

This assertion is further corroborated by a recent United Nations report which indicates that the Taliban has extended support to the TTP and that several attacks have originated from Afghan territory. As a response to this precarious situation, the Pakistani government has urged the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan to take decisive action against those it deems responsible for the violence. However, the Afghan authorities have outright denied that these militants operate from within their borders, complicating the already strained relations between the two neighboring countries.