LAHORE - Twenty-four political violence incidents claimed 45 lives and injured 74 others across the country from January 12 to 18.
Civilians remained the major target, constituting 49 per cent of the total victims followed by state security forces (38 per cent) and militants (7 per cent), says Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) on Monday.
Region-wise Sindh reported nine incidents, Khyber PK (6), Federally Administered Tribal Areas (5), Balochistan (3) and Islamabad (1). However, no incident was reported in Punjab and Gilgit/Baltistan.
The death toll decreased sharply from last’s week 205 to 45 in the reporting period. The number of those injured fell too, from 263 to 74. Political violence incidents also dropped - down from 51 to 24.
The victims region-wise included 26 people dead and 43 injured, mainly in terrorism incidents in Fata. KPK reported 17 people injured in an attack on a political party leader and a clash between political parties’ student wings.
In Sindh 11 people were killed and five injured in terrorism incidents, target killings, sectarian violence and attacks on political party workers and leaders. Terrorism claimed eight lives in Balochistan while in Islamabad eight people sustained injuries in a clash between police and protesters.
Most attacks targeted civilians followed by five each aimed at government and private property and state security forces. Those against property included public transport being burnt by arsonists in Karachi; an attack each on a government-run school and Basic Health Unit in Charsadda; targeting of a CDs shop in Nowshera and a Khyber Agency government-run school.
In the reporting week, 15 terrorism incidents killed 34 people and injured 49 others. Five attacks targeted state security forces while four were aimed at public. Similarly, three attacks were against public and private property.
Five people were killed in attacks on political party leaders and workers and a clash between student wings of political parties. In Karachi, gunmen shot dead four MQM representatives including a member of Sindh Provincial Assembly.
Elsewhere, in Charsadda an explosive device hit an ANP leader’s convoy leaving him and 15 others injured. In Mardan, two student activists of the PTI were injured in a clash with a rival student group. Three people were shot dead in as many target killing incidents in Karachi with five sustaining injuries in an incident of tribal conflict; two got killed and five were injured in Khyber Agency while a sectarian violence incident claimed one life in Karachi.
During the reporting week the most lethal tactic was the use of guns/firearms that killed 39 people and injured 50 others. Improvised explosive devices, used in eight instances, killed six people and injured 16 others.