Pakistan terrorist attacks rise 38% in August, but fatalities fall 41%: PICSS

Pakistan recorded a significant increase in terrorist attacks during August 2026, but fatalities and injuries linked to the attacks declined sharply compared with July according to a monthly security assessment by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan recorded a significant increase in terrorist attacks during August 2026, but fatalities and injuries linked to the attacks declined sharply compared with July according to a monthly security assessment by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

The Islamabad-based think tank recorded 199 terrorist attacks in August, compared with 144 in July, representing a 38 percent increase in attack frequency.

Despite the rise in attacks, their human impact declined considerably. Terrorist attacks during August resulted in 158 deaths and 181 injuries, compared with 268 deaths and 216 injuries in July. According to PICSS, deaths declined by 41 percent while injuries fell by 16 percent.

Counter-terrorism operations also continued across the country during August. Security forces recorded 211 deaths during their operations, including 203 terrorists. A further 21 terrorists were injured and 26 suspected terrorists were arrested.

Balochistan remained the most severely affected region, recording 89 terrorist attacks in August compared with 83 in July. However, deaths linked to terrorist attacks fell from 162 to 76, while injuries dropped from 86 to 47.

Mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 54 attacks in August, up 50 percent from 36 in July. Fatalities declined from 69 to 44, while injuries fell from 96 to 70.

The merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded the sharpest increase in attacks, rising from 23 in July to 52 in August — an increase of 126 percent. Deaths declined slightly from 36 to 34, while injuries increased from 33 to 59.

PICSS recorded three suicide attacks during August, including two vehicle-borne attacks. This was significantly lower than July when eight suicide attacks were reported, including five vehicle-borne attacks.

Kidnapping incidents also declined by 36 percent falling from 66 in July to 42 in August.

In terms of tactics, tactical assaults were the most frequently reported form of attack, with 47 incidents followed by target killings with 46 and improvised explosive device (IED) attacks with 36.

Punjab recorded two terrorist attacks resulting in three deaths and five injuries, while Sindh also recorded two attacks, with one person killed.

No terrorist attacks were recorded in Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, or Gilgit-Baltistan during August, according to the PICSS assessment.

The latest figures indicate that while the frequency of terrorist incidents increased significantly in August continued security operations and a decline in suicide attacks contributed to a lower overall human toll compared with July.