The number of victims in political violence incidents rose for the second week in a row, with 89 people killed, 70 injured and three kidnapped in 21 incidents between February 2 and 8, says Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen). In comparison, the preceding week had fewer casualties - 73 killed, 20 injured and one kidnapped in much higher incidents (43).
Sindh, again, saw the most incidents (12), followed by Balochistan (six), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (two) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) one. Civilians, again, constituted the majority of the 162 casualties - 54 killed, 57 injured with three being kidnapped. The number of the civilians killed was the same as last week and constituted a smaller portion of the overall deaths (60.67 percent), but the injuries increased substantially, 57 this week compared with last week's 18 - more than threefold increase.
Thirteen security personnel were killed, with as many being injured. During the week, 22 militants were also reportedly killed. Region-wise Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the most volatile, with 26 people killed and 56 others injured in a sectarian violence incident while an attack on state security forces left 36 people dead and 11 injured, including civilians.
Sindh was the second most volatile region, where 13 people were killed and one injured in seven targeted attacks, three attacks on political party workers and two sectarian violence incidents. In Balochistan, four people were killed, two injured and three kidnapped in four targeted attacks, an attack each on state security forces and teachers of a government-run school. In the Fata, 10 militants were killed in aerial bombing.
Incidents of sectarian violence were the most deadly this week, killing 28 people and leaving 56 injured in three incidents. Terrorism was the second-most lethal, killing 36 people, injuring 13 with three people being kidnapped in two incidents. Twelve people were gunned down and one injured in 11 targeted attacks. In attacks on political party workers, three Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) men were killed. Separately, a counter-terrorism strike in Orakzai Agency killed 10 militants.
District-wise, Lakki Marwat was the most violent district where 36 people (including security personnel) were killed and 11 injured in an attack on a military camp. Hangu was the second most violent district with 26 people killed and 56 injured in a major sectarian attack. In Karachi, 13 people were killed and one injured in targeted attacks, an attack on political party workers and sectarian violence. In Quetta, three people were killed in targeted attacks.
Even though the media reported no incidents of political violence in Punjab, a Fafen District Long-Term Observer (DLTO) reported a clash between the workers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples' Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) in Sialkot in which one PML-N worker was injured.