The findings of the Global Terrorism Index 2026 have raised fresh questions about Pakistan’s internal security, border policies and strategy for combating extremism.
“Great in name, but small in reality”-this seems to describe Pakistan. The very name Pakistan suggests that it should be a good country, but when one looks at its 75-year history, it appears that its people have been deceived. The name is Pakistan, but its actions sometimes resemble those of “Shaitanistan.” Today, the entire world is troubled by terrorism, and the people of Pakistan themselves are frequently victims of terrorist violence. At times, Pakistan appears to be a marketplace for terrorists, from where terror is exported to different parts of the world. Democracy appears fragile, and no one knows when a political government may be overthrown and a military general may take power. When Pakistan’s terrorist activities are examined, a disturbing picture emerges.
The rise in terrorist activity in Pakistan has once again generated concern regarding the country’s internal security and regional peace. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2026, Pakistan was the country most affected by terrorism in 2025. The report recorded 1,045 terrorist incidents, 1,139 deaths, 1,595 injuries and 655 hostages in the country during the year. They reflect a broader security crisis, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the Global Terrorism Index, these two western provinces accounted for more than 74 per cent of Pakistan’s terrorist attacks and approximately 67 per cent of terrorism-related deaths in 2025.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains a prominent actor in Pakistan’s terrorism landscape. The Global Terrorism Index attributes 595 attacks and 637 deaths in 2025 to the TTP. The organization was responsible for approximately 56 per cent of terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan during the year. The report also notes that the TTP has adapted its operational methods and developed the capacity to use modern technologies, including drones, in targeted attacks. This evolution has further complicated the nature of the threat confronting Pakistan’s security institutions.
In Balochistan, meanwhile, the activities of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) remain a major security challenge for Pakistan. According to the Global Terrorism Index, a major BLA attack in 2025 involved the hijacking of a passenger train near Quetta, with hundreds of passengers taken hostage. The report records 442 hostages in the incident. The unrest in Balochistan, however, is not confined to terrorism alone. It is also connected with political, economic and regional factors. Consequently, a lasting solution to the crisis cannot depend solely on security operations; it requires attention to the underlying political and socio-economic conditions as well.
Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan is another important dimension of the country’s growing terrorism problem. Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, disagreements between Islamabad and Kabul over the TTP have intensified. Pakistan has maintained that TTP militants operate from Afghan territory against Pakistan, while the Afghan Taliban have rejected such allegations. This continuing dispute has deepened the existing trust deficit between the two countries.
Pakistan has conducted various military and security operations against terrorism. However, the current figures raise an important question: can terrorist organizations be defeated through the use of force alone when they continue to operate through ideological, financial, social and, at times, political networks? An effective counter-terrorism strategy therefore needs to incorporate intelligence cooperation, financial monitoring, effective border management, the rule of law, education and sustained counter radicalization efforts against extremist ideologies.
Describing Pakistan as a “factory of terrorism” may be regarded as a strong political expression. However, the latest findings of the Global Terrorism Index clearly indicate that Pakistan is currently facing an exceptionally severe terrorism crisis.
The fundamental question is how comprehensively and consistently the Pakistani state addresses the recruitment, financing, organizational restructuring and ideological influence of terrorist organizations. For Pakistan, the challenge is not merely to reduce the number of terrorist attacks. It is also to address the underlying conditions that provide militant organizations with opportunities to regroup and expand. Political stability, equal application of the law, effective cross-border cooperation, economic development and a strong intellectual strategy against extremism are therefore of fundamental importance.
The findings of the Global Terrorism Index 2026 should serve as a serious security warning for Pakistan. The real test now is whether these figures are treated merely as the findings of an international report or whether they become the starting point for meaningful policy reforms aimed at addressing terrorism through a comprehensive and sustainable strategy.
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