Military says over 75,000 operations conducted as attacks and casualties hit record levels
Pakistan’s chief military spokesperson, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, is addressing a press conference on Tuesday. SCREENGRAB
Pakistan’s chief military spokesperson, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said on Tuesday that 2025 was a “landmark and consequential year” in the country’s fight against terrorism, as security forces carried out an unprecedented number of counter-terrorism operations amid a surge in attacks.
Addressing a press conference, Chaudhry said the purpose of the briefing was to provide a comprehensive overview of counter-terrorism measures taken over the past year.
“This is the only purpose of this press conference, and I would request that we remain focused on counter-terrorism, as terrorism is the biggest threat being faced by the state of Pakistan right now,” he said.
He said security forces conducted an extensive nationwide campaign in 2025, carrying out an average of more than 206 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) daily. By the end of the year, the total number of IBOs reached 75,175.
Most of the operations were conducted in Balochistan, where 58,778 IBOs took place. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa followed with 14,658 operations, while 1,739 were carried out in the rest of the country.
Chaudhry said 5,397 terrorist incidents were reported nationwide during the year. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was the worst affected, recording 3,811 incidents, or 71% of the total. Balochistan saw 1,557 incidents, accounting for 29%, while only 29 incidents were reported in other parts of Pakistan.
He said security forces killed 2,597 militants during the year, including 1,803 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and 784 in Balochistan. A total of 27 suicide bombers were reported, with 16 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and 10 in Balochistan.
The military spokesperson said Fitna-al-Hindustan – a term he used to refer to Baloch militant groups – had no connection with Balochistan. He added that security forces faced intense challenges, with 1,235 soldiers martyred during operations.
Chaudhry said 2021 marked a turning point in the terrorism landscape following developments in Afghanistan. He referred to the Doha agreement between the Afghan Taliban and the United States and its international partners, which included commitments to form an inclusive government, prevent the use of Afghan territory for terrorism, and protect women’s rights.
However, he said those commitments were not fulfilled. An inclusive government was not formed, Afghan territory was used by multiple militant groups, and organisations such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) began operating from Afghanistan, posing a threat to Pakistan.
He added that due to the situation in Syria, around 2,500 militants have recently moved to Afghanistan, saying they were neither Afghan nor Pakistani.
Presenting data from 2021 to 2025, Chaudhry said terrorism-related incidents showed a steady and then sharp rise. In 2021, there were 761 incidents, with 193 militants killed and 592 security personnel martyred.
In 2022, incidents increased to 1,020. Security forces killed 443 militants, while 644 personnel were martyred, he said.
The situation worsened in 2023, when incidents rose to 1,811. During the year, 691 militants were killed and 980 personnel lost their lives.
In 2024, incidents climbed further to 3,014. The number of militants killed increased to 1,053, while 989 security personnel were martyred, he said.
“The surge peaked in 2025,” Chaudhry said. “Incidents jumped to 5,397, 2,597 militants were killed, and the number of martyred personnel reached its highest level at 1,235.”
The India connection
The DG ISPR said the second major factor driving terrorism was the war economy. Citing recent reports, he said around $147 billion was spent on the reconstruction of Afghanistan, adding that questions were now being raised about where the money went.
He said when this flow of money stops, groups that sustain themselves through a war economy try to keep it alive by spreading conflict and terrorism across the region.
Referring to what he called new investment patterns linked to terrorism, the military spokesperson said the most significant pattern affecting Pakistan pointed towards India. He said the operational base of such groups was in Afghanistan, while funding and support came from India.
He also said that $7.2 billion worth of US military equipment, including advanced weapons, was left behind in Afghanistan.
Chaudhry added that political and internal facilitation also took place during the same period, and said Pakistan took a firm stand against these elements in 2023.
The DG ISPR further said a false narrative is being promoted to suggest that the fight against terrorism is the military’s war alone. He stressed that this is not just the army’s war, but a war of the people and a struggle of every child of the nation.
He warned that if the nation does not stand united against terrorism, its consequences will reach homes, schools, markets, and offices, with attacks carried out in everyday spaces of public life.
Major attacks of 2025
A series of major terrorist attacks were reported across the country in 2025, targeting military installations, law enforcement personnel, civilians and children.
On March 4, Bannu Cantonment in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was attacked, targeting the military. The incident left 18 people martyred, including five members of law enforcement agencies and 13 civilians. Security forces killed 16 militants.
A week later, on March 11, the Jaffar Express was attacked in Bolan, targeting civilians. The assault killed 25 people – four law enforcement personnel and 21 civilians – while 33 militants were killed, making it one of the deadliest attacks of the year.
On March 16, a civilian bus carrying Frontier Corps personnel was attacked in Nushki, killing five people, including three law enforcement personnel and two civilians. Security forces killed three militants.
The violence later extended to children. On May 21, a school bus was attacked in Khuzdar, killing five civilians. One militant was killed in the incident.
After a brief lull, attacks resumed in September. On September 2, Frontier Corps North headquarters in Bannu was targeted, leaving six law enforcement personnel martyred. Five militants were killed. Later that month, on September 30, an attack on Frontier Corps headquarters in Quetta killed 11 people, including three law enforcement personnel and eight civilians, while six militants were killed.
In October, militants targeted law enforcement training facilities. On October 10, a police training school in Dera Ismail Khan was attacked, killing seven people – six law enforcement personnel and one civilian. Five militants were killed.
November saw further attacks. On November 10, a cadet college in Wana was targeted, killing five people, including three law enforcement personnel and two civilians. Five militants were killed. The following day, on November 11, an attack on the Judicial Complex in Islamabad killed 11 civilians, while one militant was killed.
The final incident listed occurred on November 24 in Peshawar, where a second attack on Frontier Corps North headquarters killed three law enforcement personnel. Three militants were killed in the operation.
– This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly
