Pakistan experienced a significant decrease of 32% of overall violence in the second quarter of 2025, according to a report published by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).
The report has highlighted the key trends in the country’s safety landscape, including a marked reduction in deaths, strategic improvements in efforts to fight terrorism and signs of militancy spreading in previously quieter regions.
The report revealed that the deaths of violence had fallen to 615 in the second quarter, 2025, against 900 in the first quarter, indicating a clear trend towards a safer environment. The 273 recorded incidents included terrorist attacks and operations to combat terrorism, with a total of 388 injuries reported.
The report also stressed that deaths decreased by 32% compared to the first quarter of 2025, the number of deaths of violence down from 285, from 900 to T1 to 615 in T2. This change reflects more effective terrorism-to-terrorism efforts, with a higher percentage of outlaw that dies in security operations.
While violence fell into traditional conflict areas, the CRSS report has shown that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the Balutchistan provinces have continued to bear the weight of violence, although incidents have decreased significantly.
KP experienced a 32% reduction in violence, deaths from 567 to T1 to 389 in T2. This is attributed to military operations directed by the State against terrorists such as Pakistan of Tehrik-I-Taliban (TTP).
Likewise, violence in Balutchistan decreased by 40%, deaths having gone from 317 to T1 to 190 in T2. However, Balutchistan remains a home for troubles due to separatist activism and the current targeted violence, in particular against state forces.
Despite these gains, KP and Balutchistan represented more than 94% of all deaths and 93% of the violent incidents recorded in T2 2025.
One of the trends concerning the report noted in the report is the spread of violence in quieter regions.
Punjab saw a sharp increase of 162% of deaths, from 8 to T1 to 21 in T2. Although the number of deaths has remained relatively low, this increase in violence increases alarms as to the spread of activism beyond the usual areas of conflict.
Similarly, Azad Jammu and Cashmire (AJK), who did not report any death in the first quarter, recorded six deaths in the second quarter, a disturbing sign of instability in this traditionally peaceful region.
The report has also highlighted the disturbing reality that civilians continue to bear the weight of violence. While the terrorists underwent the majority of deaths, civilians were the most targeted group in terms of attacks and injuries. Of the 107 terrorist attacks, civilians were the victims of the majority of business. They also underwent 249 injuries, a contrast that struck with the 120 injuries suffered by the security personnel.
The report underlined the disturbing trend that terrorists aim to disrupt daily life and to scare civilians, rather than focus on more precise strategic strikes against specific targets.
A key positive development highlighted in the report is the significant progress made in the operations to combat terrorism. Terrorists, including activists and insurgents, suffered a greater percentage of deaths compared to civilians and security staff.
The percentage of deaths among outlaws increased to 55% in the second quarter, 2025, compared to 35% in 2021-2024, reflecting the increased efficiency of counterinsurgency operations and the fight against terrorism led by the State.
