ISLAMABAD: Pakistan gained ground against militant violence in 2010, but urban “terrorism” is a growing threat and military success will not bring stability unless a comprehensive strategy is developed, a think tank said.
A report from the the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) to be released on Monday says the number of incidents of “violence and terrorism” in Pakistan fell by 11 per cent in 2010 compared with the previous year.
The number of suicide attacks fell by 22 per cent to 68 in 2010, compared with 87 in 2009, PIPS said.
A total of 2,113 militant, insurgent and sectarian attacks were reported across the country in 2010, killing 2,913 people, it said.
“Better coordination among intelligence agencies, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, curbs on terrorism financing, and most importantly, adequate measures to prevent banned militant groups from operating across the country remained persistently lacking,” PIPS said in its annual security report.
A sharp rise in US drone strikes also contributed to the decrease in militant attacks, PIPS said.
Still, sustainable security remains elusive because of the “less than impressive performance of a weak political administration beset by chronic challenges of poor governance,”said PIPS.
The urban dilemma
Security crackdowns have focused on the northwest but instability in Karachi is a growing concern. Aside from political, ethnic and gang violence, authorities there are confronted with a growing nexus of militant groups who have found safe havens there.
As many as 93 militant attacks which killed 233 people were reported in 2010, PIPS said. In one high-profile attack in November, a Taliban suicide car bombing demolished a crime investigation department compound where senior militants were interrogated. At least 18 people were killed and 100 wounded.
Overall violence in Karachi spiked by 288 per cent, PIPS said.
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