A report based on media monitoring of incidents of political and electoral violence in Pakistan. During the second quarter of 2012 (April-June), as many as 709 incidents of political violence were reported across the country - a 37% increase as compared with the January-March quarter. Sindh reported the most incidents (280) with Balochistan (172), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (121), Punjab (68), Federally Administered Tribal Areas (61), Gilgit/Baltistan (4) and Islamabad Capital Territory (3) following.
In the last quarter of 2011 from October to December Pakistan witnessed 357 incidents of political violence, claiming 479 lives and injuring 515, besides damaging property. Of the lives lost, 222 were reported from Balochistan, followed by 90 in Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA), 82 in Sindh and 70 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). About 83% of the reported victims were males - 416 were killed, 416 injured and 94 kidnapped. Though in more than half of the incidents the perpetrators remained unidentified, militants were reported to be responsible for committing violence in 127 incidents (35.57%) across the country.
During the March-May 2011 quarter, a total of 216 incidents of political violence occurred across the country which affected 1,740 people of which 595 people were killed, 1,094 were injured and 51 were kidnapped. On average, seven people were killed, 12 were injured and one was reportedly kidnapped every day during this reporting period. In this quarter, 222 people died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 160 in Sindh, 92 in Balochistan, 80 in Punjab, 40 in FATA and one in the ICT.
Due to frequent incidents of target killings in Karachi, Sindh experienced the highest number of incidents of political violence between December 2010 and February 2011. The region reported highest number of incidents in the previous quarter (September-November 2010) as well, however, a decrease of 43% was observed in the current reporting period. While Sindh experienced highest number of incidents of political violence, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained the most violent as 169 out of a total 454 deaths were reported in the region. Of the total 240 incidents of political violence recorded by FAFEN between December 2010 and February 2011 from across Pakistan, 90 (37%) incidents were reported solely from Sindh. Balochistan reported 78 incidents followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (45), Federally Administered Tribal Areas (18), Gilgit-Baltistan (5), Punjab (3), and Islamabad Capital Territory (1).
Due to increased incidents of target killings in Karachi, Sindh experienced the highest number of incidents of political violence between September and November 2010. Of the total 357 incidents of political violence that FAFEN recorded during these three months from across Pakistan, 159 (44%) incidents were reported solely from Sindh. Balochistan followed with 113 incidents, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (41), Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (23), Punjab (13), Gilgit-Baltistan (7) and the Islamabad Capital Territory (1).
Between June 1 and August 15, 2010, the PEVER monitors recorded a total of 495 incidents of political violence and 11 incidents of electoral violence; PEVER also recorded 89 peace events in Pakistan. Out of these 595 reports, 566 were compiled through media monitoring and were not able to be verified by PEVER personnel, while 29 reports were compiled by constituency-based and election monitors, and were verified through primary sources.
This is the second report issued under the PEVER project. Between March 1 and May 31, 2010, PEVER recorded a total of 440 incidents of political violence, four incidents of electoral violence, and 100 peace events in Pakistan. Of these, 525 reports were compiled through media monitoring and were not able to be verified by PEVER personnel, while 19 reports were compiled by constituency-based and election monitors, and were verified through primary sources.
Between October 15, 2009 and February 28, 2010, PEVER recorded a total of 368 incidents of political violence, 11 incidents of electoral violence, and 420 peace events in Pakistan. PEVER recorded a total of 368 incidents of political violence across the country between October 15, 2009, and February 28, 2010. A total of 24 reports were received from the field, and 344 were reported in the media.
