For the first time, Pakistan has secured the top position in the Global Terrorism Index, with terror-related fatalities rising by six percent in 2025, totaling 1,139 deaths, according to the latest report released on Sunday.
The Global Terrorism Index 2026, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), provides a comprehensive analysis of terrorism trends and patterns over the past two decades. The report ranks 163 countries, covering 99.7 percent of the world’s population, based on terrorist incidents, deaths, injuries, and hostage-taking events.
According to the report, Pakistan’s strained relations with neighboring countries, particularly Afghanistan, combined with escalating violence by proscribed groups such as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), have created significant security challenges in the country. The report notes that “terror-related deaths in Pakistan have reached the highest level since 2013.” In 2025, Pakistan recorded 1,139 fatalities and 1,045 terrorist incidents.
The TTP has emerged as the country’s deadliest terrorist group and the third most lethal globally. Since 2009, the TTP has been responsible for more than 67 percent of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, surpassing the operational activity of the BLA by a factor of five. In 2025 alone, the TTP carried out 595 attacks—a 24 percent increase from 481 attacks in 2024. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bordering Afghanistan, remained the most affected province.
These attacks resulted in at least 637 deaths, the highest number since 2011, accounting for 56 percent of all terror-related fatalities in Pakistan. The deadliest attack targeted military personnel, claiming 21 lives. The return of the Afghan Taliban to power in Afghanistan has significantly strengthened the operational capacity and territorial reach of the TTP, intensifying security risks for Pakistan.
2025 marks the sixth consecutive year of rising terror-related deaths in Pakistan. Hostage-taking incidents also surged dramatically, from 101 in 2024 to 655 in 2025, with the Jafer Express attack alone accounting for 442 hostages.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan continued to bear the brunt of terrorism in Pakistan, collectively accounting for over 74 percent of attacks and 67 percent of fatalities in 2025.
Globally, terrorism-related deaths decreased by 28 percent, and the total number of attacks fell by nearly 22 percent. The deadliest groups worldwide remained ISIS, JNIM, TTP, and Al-Shabaab, responsible for 3,869 deaths—70 percent of the global total. Western countries, however, saw a 280 percent increase in terrorist incidents, with 57 fatalities, including high-profile attacks such as the truck attack in New Orleans, U.S., in January and the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia in December.
Last year, Pakistan had ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025, with terror attacks rising by 45 percent and fatalities reaching 1,081. The latest report underscores Pakistan’s escalating terrorism crisis and highlights the urgent need for enhanced counterterrorism strategies and regional cooperation to address these persistent security threats.
