Around 240 incidents of political violence occurred in the last three months from December 2010 to February 2011, out of which 90 incidents were reported in Sindh, 78 in Balochistan, 45 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 18 in FATA, five in Gilgit-Baltistan, whereas four in Punjab.
Due to the increase in incidents of target killings in Karachi, Sindh remained on top in political violence, said a Violence Monitor report issued by Free and Fare Election Network (FAFEN), here on Friday. The report is based on media monitoring of incidents of political violence in Pakistan during December 2010 and February 2011.
In 240 incidents of political violence reported in this quarter, 454 lives were lost, 692 people were injured and 12 people were kidnapped, the report revealed, adding that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was categorised as the most violent region as 169 people lost their lives in incidents of violence, followed by FATA 117, Sindh 90, Balochistan 63, Punjab 14 and ICT one.
Although the number of incidents was low in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA, the lethality rate, or number of deaths per incident, was higher than that reported in the regions of Balochistan and Sindh, report said, adding all the identified victims of these incidents were male. While the nation-wide lethality rate was recorded at two, highest lethality rate of nine was observed in FATA, followed by five in both Punjab and KP, and one in Balochistan, Sindh and the ICT each.
The total number of reported victims was relatively lower than those in the previous quarter (September-November 2010), as 1,158 affectees (dead, injured and kidnapped) were reported in the 240 incidents of violence nation-wide, as compared to the 1,966 reported in 357 incidents during September-November 2010, the report revealed.
The region reported highest number of incidents in the previous quarter (September-November 2010) as well, however, a decrease of 43 percent was observed in the current reporting period, the report revealed. Target killings were observed to be the most common form of political violence, being reported in 48 incidents country-wide, it was revealed. The most cases of target killings (65 percent) were reported in Sindh all in the provincial capital, followed by Balochistan 31 percent. One incident each of target killing was reported in KP and FATA.
Attacks on security forces and violence against political party workers remained second and third, as 46 incidents of attack on security forces were reported, while political party workers were targeted in 43 incidents. Incidents of attacks on security and political party workers/individuals with exposed political affiliations increased by 18% forces and 13% respectively compared to the previous quarter.
Militants were responsible for 60 incidents out of 240, whereas community members were perpetrators in one incident of political violence in Sindh. Similarly, tribal/village leaders, political party workers/candidates and security forces each were identified as perpetrators in two incidents of political violence, while culprits of 173 incidents of violence could not be identified.
Several weapons and methods were used in carrying out the incidents of violence. Gunfire/firearm was used most frequently, being employed in 144 incidents, use of incendiary devices in 71 incidents, whereas suicide bombing was the third most common method, employed in 10 incidents nation-wide. During the observation period no incident of electoral violence was recorded throughout the country, although one by-election for Provincial Assembly seat of KP (PK-87 Shangla) was held during this reporting quarter.