According to statistics released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) regarding suicide attacks in 2023, Pakistan witnessed the highest number of suicide attacks since 2014 during this year, with nearly half of them targeting the Security Forces, Dawn reported on December 24. As many as 48 per cent of deaths and 58 per cent of injuries were inflicted upon SF personnel. “A staggering 29 suicide attacks were reported, resulting in the tragic loss of 329 lives and leaving 582 individuals injured. This marks the highest death toll since 2013 when 683 people lost their lives in 47 suicide bombings”, it stated. Comparing the data to the preceding year, 2022, report reveals a distressing 93 per cent increase in the number of suicide attacks, a shocking 226 per cent rise in resultant deaths, and a troubling 101 per cent surge in the number of injured individuals. Furthermore, the share of suicide attacks in the total number of attacks escalated from 3.9 per cent in 2022 to 4.7 per cent in 2023, underscoring the severity of the situation. Delving into regional specifics, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) bore the brunt of these attacks, reporting 23 instances that resulted in 254 fatalities and 512 injuries. Within KP, newly merged Districts or erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) experienced 13 suicide attacks, leading to 85 deaths and 206 injuries. Balochistan faced five attacks, causing 67 deaths and 52 injuries, while Sindh witnessed one suicide attack resulting in eight deaths and 18 injuries.