ISLAMABAD – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed significant improvement insecurity situation among all provinces as all indicators saw negativetrends. There was 40pc decline in the number of militant attacks and 47pcdecline in the number of deaths in the province. A total of 75 militantattacks were recorded in KP in which 92 people, including 43 civilians, 34security forces’ personnel and 15 militants, were killed while 175 people,including 136 civilians, were injured.

However, despite the overall improvement, KP saw the second highest numberof suicide attacks during the year as at least six suicide attacks werereported from the province. In 2016, five suicide attacks took place in theprovince. Security forces conducted at least 103 actions against militantsin which 543 suspects were arrested and 41 killed during 2017.

Sindh also saw a 40pc decrease in militant attacks, but with 84pc increasein the number of deaths during 2017. Militants carried out 40 attacks inthe province killing 112 people, including 92 civilians and 17 securityforces’ personnel. Another 303 people were injured in these attacks. Theprovince saw one suicide attack during the year. Security forces conductedat least 98 actions against militants in which 110 suspects were killed and153 arrested.

Punjab witnessed seven per cent increase in militant attacks, but there was37pc decline in deaths. During the year, 15 militant attacks took place inthe province in which 59 people, including 34 civilians and 24 securityforces’ personnel, were killed and 208 people, all of them civilians,suffered injuries.

The province also witnessed three suicide bombings — one more than 2016.Security forces conducted 119 operations against militants in the provincein which 105 militants were killed and 298 arrested.

Two militant attacks were reported from Azad Jammu and Kashmir in which onecivilian died and five were injured. Three violent militant activities oflow intensity were reported from Islamabad in which one person lost hislife. No violent militant activity was reported from Gilgit-Baltistanregion.