This blog seeks to investigate and further understand terrorism in Pakistan. Through analysis from sources interested in understanding statistical data relevant to counterterrorism studies. All of the data presented is useful in understanding how terrorism is present in Pakistan today, and to evaluate the determining factors and consequences of that terrorism.

The first source that I investigated was  the Global Terrorism Database. This organization is concerned with understanding statistical data relevant to terrorism. Their graphs look at the incidents of terrorism over time, attack types, weapon types, perpetrators, casualties and fatalities. Their research has shown a surprising trend for increased terrorism in Pakistan. This line graph is evidence of this surprising trend

the next database that I used to investigate trends in terrorism was  the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook. In their analysis of transnational issues they examine the recent conflicts over land in Kashmir, which remains a highly disputed area between interests of China, India, and Pakistan. “UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan’s ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease-fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed standoff in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India’s fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries” (World Factbook 2014).

The World Factbook also establishes statistics about refugees and internationally displaced persons in Pakistan. There are 2.6 million refugees listed in Pakistan, broken down as 1.6 million registered and 1 million undocumented. There are also more than 1 million internationally displaced persons which they assess are mostly from counterterrorism and counter insurgency attacks in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber-Paktunkwa Province.

the final source I used was the Failed States Index of 2013, a research database of the Fund for Peace. They assess the pressures that attribute to failed states such as ineffective government, economic problems, and governmental conflicts with other countries. Their pressure scale assesses that Pakistan is in high alert . Pakistan’s Failed States Index Score is 102.9 out of 120 points maximum. Their Failed States Index Rank is 13 out of 178 countries. The average Indicator Score that Pakistan receives is 8.6 out of 10. This means that on every factor they assess to understand a failed state Pakistan ranks extremely high. The worst indicator they assess is Pakistan security apparatus at a score of 9.8.

• In the past year, Pakistan has seen most of its indicators either worsen or remain constant. The largest relative change was a slight worsening in the Security Apparatus score.
• Over a five-year period, Pakistan’s indicators have undergone highly uneven changes with significant improvements in Human Flight, Uneven Economic Development and State Legitimacy scores, a considerable worsening of Demographic Pressures and Economic Decline, as well as slight fluctuations in the remaining indicators.

Note that a change between 0.2 and -0.2 is considered within the margin of error and thus not statistically significant.

The Fund for Peace Failed States Index also uses the graph below to understand Pakistan’s state against the country with the highest pressure and the country with the lowest

The chart above demonstrates the proportion of the total score for which each indicator is responsible, with comparisons provided with the country experiencing the highest pressure (Somalia) and the country experiencing the lowest pressure (Finland).

In all of the data presented above from The Failed States Index, The Global Terrorism Database, and the CIA’s World Factbook a comprehensive picture of terrorism in Pakistan Is developed. Their research has shown that terrorism has increased dramatically in Pakistan causing many fatalities, a country with high pressure of being a failed state, and the country’s people to suffer becoming refugees or internationally displaced persons. The effects of terrorism in Pakistan have been severe and complex. These statistics an research help to fully understand all of the ways in which terrorism presents itself within Pakistan, and with an understanding of the consequences and incidents of terrorism we are better equipped to assist Pakistan in coming to peace.