Pakistan's Deadliest Year in a Decade

Pakistan experienced its deadliest year in over a decade in 2025, with combat-related fatalities surging by 74%. Militants, primarily Pakistani Taliban, were responsible for over half of the 3,413 deaths. The violence was exacerbated by the militants' access to US military equipment left behind after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Security forces also suffered heavy losses, with 667 personnel killed, the highest annual figure since 2011. Civilian casualties reached 580, the highest since 2015. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained strained, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan's Taliban administration of ignoring cross-border attacks, a claim Afghanistan denies. Border clashes in October led to dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries, and border crossings have remained closed, disrupting trade and humanitarian aid. Militant activity was highly concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with groups like Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Army expanding their operations to target economic infrastructure. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies and Pak Institute for Peace Studies released reports detailing these findings.