ISLAMABAD: Surge in political violence during the second week of February claimed 106 lives and injured 91 people in 54 incidents across the country, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
Between February 9 and 15, 2013, Sindh saw the most incidents (35) followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (10), Balochistan (5) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (4). Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and the Frontier Regions reported no incidents of political violence.
Civilians again, constituted the majority of 197 casualties with 70 killed and 72 injured. The percentage of civilian deaths increased 5% as compared with the preceding week.
During the reporting week, 10 security personnel were killed and 19 injured while 26 militants were also reported killed.
Region-wise FATA was the most volatile where 35 people were killed and 50 injured in incidents of terrorism and counter-terrorism operations. Sindh was the second most violent region with 39 people killed and nine injured in target killing incidents, attacks on security forces and political party worker and sectarian violence. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 19 people were killed and 27 injured in terrorism, a target killing incident and sectarian violence. Thirteen people were killed and five injured in target killing and terrorism incidents in Balochistan.
Terror activities claimed the most lives this week with 45 people killed and 86 injured in 18 incidents across the country. Ten terrorist attacks targeted security forces, four hit the general public with another four aimed at public property. Target killings were the second most lethal tactic of violence with 29 people killed in 22 incidents in Sindh and one each in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Twenty-one militants were killed in two counter-terrorism operations in Orakzai Agency while sectarian violence claimed 10 lives and injured five in eight incidents in Karachi and one in Peshawar.
Moreover, in an attack on political party worker, a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) man was shot dead in Karachi.
District-wise Orakzai Agency was the most volatile where 35 people were killed (including 21 militants in two counter-terrorism operations) and 50 injured in attacks on general public. In Karachi, 39 people were killed and nine injured in target killings, sectarian violence and an attack on political party worker while 11 people got killed and 23 sustained injuries in a terrorist attack in Hangu. Elsewhere, casualties were also reported in Peshawar, Bannu, Khuzdar, Kech and Quetta -the numbers in each of these districts remaining below 10.
DND
