In Pakistan’s volatile northwest and southwest, a deadly cocktail of insurgency and militancy is sabotaging the nation’s path to prosperity. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rich in hydropower potential and vital minerals, alongside Balochistan’s copper-gold mines, coal fields, and strategic ports, should be engines of growth. Instead, they are battlegrounds, with 2025 marking the most lethal year in a decade.
Security analyses reveal a 34% year-on-year spike in violence, pushing total deaths to 3,417 from 2,555 in 2024. This escalation, building on 56% and 67% increases in prior years, underscores a protracted crisis linked to Afghan instability. Alarmingly, nearly all violence—93% of incidents and 96% of fatalities—concentrated in these resource hubs.
KP saw deaths soar 44% to 2,331, while Balochistan’s toll rose 22% to 956. Primary targets: Pakistan’s army, Frontier Corps (374 killed, including 22 officers), and police (216 deaths). Culprits include TTP as the frontrunner, followed by BLA, BLF, and Daesh branches.
These groups have a history of striking economic lifelines, from CPEC projects to government installations. Their operational strength, even after losses, poses an imminent threat to infrastructure and foreign investments. For Pakistan, the message is clear: Tame this violence, or watch resource-driven development evaporate amid chaos.