Islamabad: Pakistan has ranked first on the Global Terrorism Index 2026 for the first time, reflecting a significant rise in terrorism-related violence, with a reported 6% increase in deaths reaching 1,139 in 2025.
The Global Terrorism Index 2026, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, provides a comprehensive overview of terrorism trends and patterns across the world over the past two decades.
The report evaluates 163 countries, representing 99.7% of the global population, based on indicators such as the number of attacks, fatalities, injuries, and hostages.
According to the report, Pakistan’s deteriorating security situation is closely linked to its strained relations with neighboring countries, particularly Afghanistan, along with increasing violence from banned militant groups such as Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). These factors have contributed to what the report describes as “significant security risks” for the country.“
Deaths from terrorism in Pakistan are now at their highest level since 2013, with the country recording 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025,” the report stated.
The report identified the TTP as the deadliest militant organization operating in Pakistan and the third deadliest globally.
It noted that TTP was responsible for more than 67% of all terrorist attacks in Pakistan since 2009 and carried out five times more attacks than the second most active group, the BLA.
Notably, the TTP was the only group among the four deadliest globally — including Islamic State (IS), Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen (JNIM), TTP, and al-Shabaab — to record an increase in attacks over the past year.
The number of TTP-led incidents rose by 24% in 2025, with 595 attacks compared to 481 in 2024. All of these attacks were carried out within Pakistan, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border.
The group was responsible for at least 637 deaths in 2025 — the highest since 2011 — accounting for 56% of all terrorism-related fatalities in the country.
The largest attack attributed to the TTP in 2025 involved an armed assault on military personnel, resulting in 21 deaths.
The report further highlighted the impact of the Afghan Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, stating that it has “profoundly impacted Pakistan’s security and stability.” It added that this development has enabled the TTP to expand its operational reach and effectiveness, contributing to a surge in violent extremism across the region.
This marks the sixth consecutive year in which Pakistan has witnessed an increase in terrorism-related deaths. While there was a slight decline in the overall number of attacks in 2025, the report pointed to a sharp rise in hostage-taking incidents, which surged from 101 cases in 2024 to 655 in 2025.
The findings underscore growing concerns over Pakistan’s internal security landscape and highlight the urgent need for comprehensive counterterrorism strategies to address the evolving threat.