Security situation in Pakistan’s Sindh highlights persistent crisis: Report
Islamabad, May 18 (IANS) Security situation in Pakistan’s Sindh continues to showcase a layered and persistent crisis as province continues to report attacks from Islamist militant groups, sectarian outfits, Baloch and Sindhi separatist formations and criminal ecosystem, especially in Karachi, a report has stated.
Sindh reported 10 terrorism-related fatalities in 2026 up to April 19, including eight terrorists, one civilian and one security force personnel, according to the partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal. During the corresponding period in 2025, Sindh had recorded 12 fatalities, including seven security forces personnel, five civilians and one terrorist, according to a report in StringerAsia.
The lower figure in early 2026 may indicate a temporary drop, however, the broader trend remains worrying. In 2025, Sindh reported 49 terrorism-related deaths, comprising 26 civilians, 16 security personnel and seven militants, in comparison to 38 fatalities in 2024, which includes 15 civilians, 14 security personnel and nine militants, showcasing a rise in overall fatalities.
Karachi remained the epicentre of terrorism in Sindh. The 49 fatalities reported in Sindh in 2025, included 31 in Karachi alone. Karachi also reported 27 of Sindh’s 38 terrorism-related fatalities in 2024.
“The city’s dense population, complex ethnic composition, port economy, criminal networks, sectarian histories and political rivalries make it a persistent target for militant and criminal actors alike. The threat landscape in Sindh is not limited to Islamist militancy,” Stringer Asia report mentioned.
“In addition to TTP and sectarian groups, Baloch separatist formations and Sindhi nationalist militant groups have remained active. The Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army and Sindhudesh Liberation Army have repeatedly framed their violence around opposition to what they describe as Punjabi domination, resource exploitation and the occupation of Sindh’s land and water,” it added.
Apart from terrorism and separatist militancy, Karachi has also witnessed a rise in street crime in 2026, eroding public confidence and imposing severe costs on people.
According to the data released by the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), Karachi has witnessed a rise in street crime, with people being robbed of hundreds of vehicles and mobile phones alongside an increase in killings and extortion cases from January-April period this year.
During the January-April period, people in Karachi were robbed of 611 cars and 13,346 motorcycles, collectively worth millions of rupees, demonstrating the scale of vehicle-related crime in the metropolis. During the same period, 5,567 mobile phones were stolen from citizens during street crime incidents, leading Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported.
Incidents related to violence were also reported in Karachi, with 176 people killed in various incidents of murder. Furthermore, 61 cases of extortion were reported during this period.
According to the data, 22 cars were snatched, and 111 were stolen, while 469 motorcycles were snatched and 2,723 were stolen in April alone. During the same 30-day period, 1,624 mobile phones were snatched from people, while 42 people were killed in separate incidents.
–IANS
akl/as
