Pakistani public now unconcerned about terrorism: Study

ISLAMABAD - Even though nearly 4,700 people lost their lives to terrorist activities in Pakistan in the first 10 months of 2010, the general public are now showing a remakable lack of concern at the “curse”, a study has revealed.

The study “Trail of Tragedy: A Chronology of Violence in Pakistan 2010″, carried out by a rights-based civil society organisation called Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO), chronologically lists and elaborates on incidents of terrorism that took place in 2010, the Express Tribune reported Saturday.

The terror incidents include suicide attacks, bomb blasts, ambushes, target killings, casualties caused during military operations, attacks on security forces and drone attacks in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

The death toll in bombings in the first 10 months of 2010 is estimated at 1,801.

Compared to the previous year, the frequency of drone attack increased, reportedly killing 544 militants.

Last year, 2,060 militants were killed in military operations.

A total of 273 people were reported dead in target killings, which affected not only the tribal areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but also the urban centres of Pakistan, the report said.

However, it stated: “Even though the sense of insecurity and fear has generally increased, there does not seem to be a collective concern among the general public about the curse of terrorism.”

Schools continued to be targeted by terrorists and militants have recently started targeting shrines of Sufi saints that “represent tolerance, peace and co-existence”.

Commenting on the report, SPO chief executive Naseer Memon said: “The destruction to the symbolic heritage of our country, especially symbols of peace, does not bode well for us. Destroying symbols of peace is an attempt by obscurantist forces to pave the way for their violent agenda.”