Terror attacks have witnessed a sharp increase in the country since Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government came into power, with 154 people losing their lives and 251 injured during 10 terror incidents that have occurred in the last 28 days in various parts of the country.
According to data gathered by Business Recorder out of the total 10 terror attacks that have taken place so far, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained at the top of the terrorists' list where four incidents claimed lives of 56 people including security forces. A suicide bombing in Shergarh, Mardan killed 35 persons, including a newly-elected Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Imran Mohmand of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), and over 57 others were injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral prayer in Shah Zaman Qala village of Shergarh town in Mardan District on June 18.
One June 19, at least six security personnel were killed and three others injured when a convoy of forces came under attack in Sra Khawra area of Matani town in the outskirts of Peshawar.
On Jun 20, the terrorists targeted Imambargah in Gulshan Colony located in the outskirts of Peshawar, killing at least 15 people while injuring 25 others. The terrorists once again attacked a convoy of the Frontier Corps (FC) in Badaber area of Peshawar on July 1 when a powerful blast killed at least 17 persons including three children and more than 45 injured.
In Balochistan, 70 people were killed in three terror attacks that took place in the province. At least 24 people including 14 female students, four nurses and three FC personnel along with Quetta Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mansor Khan and two others were killed and 27 injured when unidentified terrorists blew up a bus of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University. The blast was followed by another powerful explosion inside the Bolan Medical College Hospital in Quetta.
One policeman was killed when terrorists attacked Quaid-e-Azam Residency in Zayarat Balochistan on June 15. On July 1, Quetta was once again rocked by a powerful suicide bomb explosion that killed at least 28 people including women and children and injured 65 people in Hazara town.
In Karachi, as many as 10 people were killed in a terrorist attack and wounded nine when the militants targeted the city on June 26. A senior judge was also critically injured in a remote control bomb blast. The terrorists also targeted foreign tourists-cum-mountaineers in Gilgit Baltistan. As many as 10 foreign tourists-cum-mountaineers were among 11 killed on June 23, when militants wearing paramilitary uniforms attacked a base camp of Nanga Parbat mountain range in Bonar area of Diamer District. One Pakistani guide was also killed in the tragic incident.
In Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) at least seven people were killed in two terror attacks since June 05, 2013. Three soldiers were killed and four others were injured in bomb attacks on military convoys in North Waziristan Agency on June 9. Four soldiers were killed and 16 injured in improvised explosive device (IED) attack on July 1 on a military convoy in Bannu Miranshah road in North Wazirstan.
Analysts describe the recent increase in terror incidents with killing of Wali-ur-Rehman, the deputy chief of banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in a US drone attack on May 30. The killing of top Pakistani Taliban commander was followed by withdrawal of the offer for peace talks with the government. According to analysts, the sharp increase in the terror attacks is a message the terrorists wanted to convey to the world as well as Pakistani government that they are avenging the death of their leader. Pakistani officials have acknowledged in the past that drone attacks have been effective in eliminating the top leadership of the militants. However the present government has termed these attacks illegal and counterproductive.