Attacks down almost 20 percent in Pakistan

[ameer219]

Terrorism in Pakistan fell 11% in 2010: Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan gained ground against militant violence in 2010, but urban “terrorism” is a growing threat and military success will not bring stability unless a comprehensive strategy is developed, a think tank said.

A report from the the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) to be released on Monday says the number of incidents of “violence and terrorism” in Pakistan fell by 11 per cent in 2010 compared with the previous year.

The number of suicide attacks fell by 22 per cent to 68 in 2010, compared with 87 in 2009, PIPS said.

A total of 2,113 militant, insurgent and sectarian attacks were reported across the country in 2010, killing 2,913 people, it said.

“Better coordination among intelligence agencies, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, curbs on terrorism financing, and most importantly, adequate measures to prevent banned militant groups from operating across the country remained persistently lacking,” PIPS said in its annual security report.

A sharp rise in US drone strikes also contributed to the decrease in militant attacks, PIPS said.

Still, sustainable security remains elusive because of the “less than impressive performance of a weak political administration beset by chronic challenges of poor governance,”said PIPS.

The urban dilemma

Security crackdowns have focused on the northwest but instability in Karachi is a growing concern. Aside from political, ethnic and gang violence, authorities there are confronted with a growing nexus of militant groups who have found safe havens there.

As many as 93 militant attacks which killed 233 people were reported in 2010, PIPS said. In one high-profile attack in November, a Taliban suicide car bombing demolished a crime investigation department compound where senior militants were interrogated. At least 18 people were killed and 100 wounded.

Overall violence in Karachi spiked by 288 per cent, PIPS said

Terrorism in Pakistan fell 11% in 2010: Report – The Express Tribune

 

[graphican]

The number of suicide attacks fell by 22 per cent to 68 in 2010, compared with 87 in 2009, PIPS said.

A total of 2,113 militant, insurgent and sectarian attacks were reported across the country in 2010, killing 2,913 people, it said.

Icon with the post is misfit... its not a thumbs up situation when you are having nearly 3000 people killed in a year by the effect of terrorism. You can say it is encouraging but not something to say "Ye Cheez Mere Azeez".

I pray Pakistan would be out of this terrorism alltogether and not even 0.0001% of it would remain in our borders and neither it would appear ever again. May Allah make Pak Sarzameen a piece of land that is indeed "Shaad Baad and Keshware-e-Haseen Shad Baad".

 

[SMC]

^ True. Less attacks in bigger cities. Most were probably in FATA. I can recall 3 in Lahore, 3 in Karachi, none in Islamabad or Rawalpindi, none in any other major cities.

 

[ameer219]

Icon with the post is misfit... its not a thumbs up situation when you are having nearly 3000 people killed in a year by the effect of terrorism. You can say it is encouraging but not something to say "Ye Cheez Mere Azeez". ".

I beg to differ sir. When you compare the situation of the country compared 2 years ago where the terrorist have occupuied almost the whole of FATA, I would say we have done a good improvement. I would say the operation we have conducted have been beneficial and has cause terrorism to decrease.

And Yes I do agree with you, there is more room for improvements, including decreasing the number of people killed from 3000, and that should be our next goal, that's the reason why I bolded that part, so to be aware, that this is not the end yet, and more still needs to be done

I pray Pakistan would be out of this terrorism alltogether and not even 0.0001% of it would remain in our borders and neither it would appear ever again. May Allah make Pak Sarzameen a piece of land that is indeed "Shaad Baad and Keshware-e-Haseen Shad Baad

Inshallah we will be out of this, its just a matter of time and the operations the PA undertakes.

 

[Awesome]

This is indeed a good indicator given that it came from an independent body.

I wonder if there should be a study for extremist mentality in Pakistan as well.

 

[somebozo]

Looks like someone on PPP payroll wrote the report because Urban as well as bomb blasts in city centers was way down during Mushraff era..

 

[Devil Soul]

Attacks down almost 20 percent in Pakistan
But the militant threat remains dire, and the Pakistani government has yet to develop a comprehensive policy to eradicate Islamist militants, think tank says
By SEBASTIAN ABBOT
ISLAMABAD — The number of suicide bombings and other attacks in Pakistan declined nearly 20 percent last year as a result of Pakistani military operations, better surveillance by law enforcement agencies and the death of key militants in U.S. drone strikes, a think tank said Sunday.
But the militant threat remains dire, and the Pakistani government has yet to develop a comprehensive policy to eradicate Islamist militants who continue to plague the country, warned the Pak Institute for Peace Studies.
"Better coordination among intelligence agencies, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, curbs on terrorism financing and, most importantly, adequate measures to prevent banned militant groups from operating across the country remained persistently lacking," said a new report by the group.
Pakistan's anti-terror efforts are a key focus of the Obama administration, which wants the country to do more to target Taliban militants who regularly launch attacks against U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
The number of militant, insurgent and sectarian-related attacks in Pakistan declined from 2,586 in 2009 to 2,113 last year. But the number of people killed in attacks only dropped about 3.5 percent, from 3,021 to 2,913.
Despite the general decline, attacks roughly tripled last year in Pakistan's two largest cities, said the report, a sign that militants are having greater success exporting the fight far from their northwest heartland along the Afghan border.
In Karachi, a teeming city of some 16 million that has a long history of religious, political and ethnic violence, 93 attacks killed 233 people last year, up from 24 attacks that killed 65 in 2009.
Pakistan's cultural capital, Lahore, witnessed 44 attacks last year compared to 11 in 2009. But there were fewer casualties in Punjab province, where Lahore is the capital, because the militants carried out a smaller number of suicide attacks in crowded places.
Across the country, suicide attacks fell 22 percent, from 87 in 2009 to 68 last year, according to the report.
The Pakistani military has launched a series of operations against militants in the northwest. The campaigns have dealt a serious blow but have failed to achieve sustainable peace "due to the less than impressive performance of a weak political administration, which is beset by chronic challenges of poor governance," said the report.
The U.S. also has concerns about Pakistan's ability to transition to effective hold and build efforts in cleared areas, according to a White House progress report drafted last year.
"This failure results in short-lived military gains that allow militants to regroup in these areas," said the report.
U.S. officials have also expressed frustration with Pakistan's unwillingness to launch an offensive in North Waziristan, part of the country's lawless tribal region that hosts a large number of militants who wage attacks in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani army says its troops are stretched too thin by other operations in the tribal region. But many analysts believe the military is reluctant to cross militants with whom it has historical ties and could be useful allies in Afghanistan after foreign troops withdraw.
The U.S. has responded by more than doubling the number of drone strikes in the tribal region. There were close to 120 such strikes in 2010, most of which occurred in North Waziristan.
The U.S. refuses to acknowledge the covert CIA drone strikes in public, but officials have said privately that they have killed several senior Taliban and al-Qaida militants over the past several years.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Attacks down almost 20 percent in Pakistan - World news - South and Central Asia - Pakistan - msnbc.com

 

[mjnaushad]

Its going down 100 % soon.....

 

[Parashuram1]

This is indeed a good indicator given that it came from an independent body.

I wonder if there should be a study for extremist mentality in Pakistan as well.

An excellent idea. This becomes more relevant to your country right now since more and more people have a very closed and conservative outlook in most parts of your country. Add the element of poverty and limited education and it becomes a very dangerous concoction.

Personally, I think it would be a welcome sight to see a watch-dog agency that looks after checking extremist thinking. Not only would it provide an unofficial information source to your security forces but also raise the issue of extremism and educated people to balance their thinking.

 

[HAIDER]

Here India plays wise policy but failed. India govt tried its best to convince EU and US to force Pak army move it regiment toward FATA from Indian border. But Kiyani played more smart.

 

[desioptimist]

Here India plays wise policy but failed. India govt tried its best to convince EU and US to force Pak army move it regiment toward FATA from Indian border. But Kiyani played more smart.

And your point is, it helped fighting terrorism.