Pakistan tops global terrorism index as violence surges in 2025

Pakistan has ranked first on the Global Terrorism Index for the first time, recording a six per cent rise in terrorism-related fatalities, with 1,139 deaths in 2025, according to the latest report.

The Global Terrorism Index 2026, compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), offers a detailed overview of terrorism trends worldwide over the past two decades.

The index evaluates 163 countries using four key indicators: total terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries and hostages taken, applying a weighted five-year average to reflect the lingering psychological impact of attacks.

Global Terrorism Index

Rising threat in Pakistan

The report highlights Pakistan’s “strained” relations with neighboring countries, particularly Afghanistan, and escalating violence from banned groups, including Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), as major security challenges.

“Deaths from terrorism in Pakistan are now at their highest level since 2013, with the country recording 1,139 terrorism deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025,” the report said.

The TTP has emerged as the “deadliest” terror group in Pakistan and ranks third globally. “TTP attacks constitute over 67pc of total attacks in Pakistan since 2009, and it is responsible for five times as many attacks in Pakistan as the second most active group, the BLA,” the report added.

The group saw a 24pc increase in incidents last year, carrying out 595 attacks in 2025 compared to 481 in 2024, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border. At least 637 deaths were attributed to TTP in 2025 — the highest since 2011 and representing 56pc of all terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan. The largest attack targeted military forces, killing 21 people.

The report notes that the Afghan Taliban’s rise to power has “profoundly impacted Pakistan’s security and stability.” It added: “It provided the TTP with the means and motivation to significantly expand their geographic reach and operational efficiency, resulting in a considerable rise in violent extremism in the region.”

Regional hotspots and global trends

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan remain the provinces most affected, accounting for over 74pc of terrorist attacks and 67pc of fatalities in Pakistan in 2025. The country also recorded a sharp increase in hostages, rising from 101 in 2024 to 655 in 2025.

Globally, terrorism-related deaths fell by 28pc to 5,582, and attacks declined by nearly 22pc. Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the deadliest groups, followed by Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), TTP, and al-Shabaab. Together, these groups were responsible for 3,869 deaths, or 70pc of all fatalities.

The report notes that nearly 70pc of terrorism deaths occurred in five countries: Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with Sub-Saharan Africa now emerging as the “global epicentre of terrorism.”

Western countries, however, saw a “significant increase” in incidents, with deaths rising 280pc to 57, driven by mass-casualty attacks, including the New Orleans truck attack in January and the Bondi Beach shooting in December.