Pakistan's Internal Security Crisis Deepens Amid Worsening Instability

Pakistan's Security Crisis Deepens Amid Global Diplomatic Spotlight

Pakistan, touted as a crucial interlocutor in the Iran-US/Israel conflict, is currently embroiled in a complex web of domestic security challenges. The country's diplomatic reputation has been bolstered in recent times, but its on-ground reality paints a starkly different picture. Pakistan is engaged in a conflict with Afghanistan, absorbing drone strikes on its own land, and fighting a multi-front militancy on its restive borders.

A Longstanding Security Crisis

Pakistan's security crises have unfolded since the early 1990s, with the first Afghan civil conflict, the rise and fall of the Taliban, the post-9/11 War on Terror, and years of double dealing with the US. The security situation now is an old, familiar cycle. The country has been grappling with the aftermath of the Taliban's return to power in 2021 and the catastrophic consolidation of Tehrik-E Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch groups.

Read also: Treasury Yields Experience Largest Increase in Two Weeks Following Release of Labor Market Data

Rising Militant Attacks

The total number of militant attacks in Pakistan rose from 128 to 169 between January and March this year, compared to the same period in 2025. While the increase in frequency of these attacks is notable, the lethality of these attacks is where the focus should be – fatalities soared from 169 to 349 in this period. In April, the authorities recorded 55 attacks in a single month, diluting any military or diplomatic efforts by Pakistan to control groups from launching plots in its territory.

The Composition of Violence

Read also: US-Iran Tensions Spark Uptick in Oil Prices Amid Global Market Decline

The primary surge of attacks is prompted by Islamist groups operating in the restive provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, including TTP, Hafiz Gul Bahadar (HGB) faction, the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), and its allied groups. The modus operandi and scale of attacks inform enhanced operational coordination at a time when Pakistan security forces remain over-extended.

Baloch Insurgency

The Baloch insurgency has shifted to a more lethal level, with a significant upturn in fatalities despite a decline in the frequency of attacks. These figures determine the maturation of the Baloch movement from a grievance mobilisation and low-scale plots to a coherent military doctrine with the participation of a diverse demography.

Adoption of Drones

The deployment of commercial drone technology by militant groups represents the most significant tactical shift in the post-2001 insurgency landscape. In 2025, at least 405 quadcopter attacks by TTP and allied groups were recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. These commercial drones, manufactured mostly by Chinese firms and often retailing in Pakistani markets for several hundred dollars, are modified to carry IEDs, mortal shells, and grenades.

Pakistan's Afghan Challenge

Pakistan has long accused the Taliban administration of failing to curtail the operations of the TTP and Baloch groups since the insurgent group came to power in Kabul in 2021. In February, Pakistan launched airstrikes in multiple provinces of Afghanistan, resulting in military clashes between traditional allies. The Chinese brokered a ceasefire through a series of informal talks in Urumqi in early April, but the talks produced no outcome, and the attacks in April suggest the ceasefire had no measurable impact on the tempo of the attacks in Pakistan.