Pakistan Report Says March Security Deaths Fell 35% Amid Cross-Border Strikes

A new Pakistani security report says conflict-related deaths in the country dropped sharply in March, even as Islamabad expanded military operations across the border into Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies said 331 people were killed in security incidents and conflict in March, down from 506 deaths recorded in February, marking a 35 percent decline. The think tank linked the drop to Pakistan’s cross-border military campaign, known as Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which began in late February.

According to the report, the military operation targeted what Pakistan described as militant positions and support infrastructure inside Afghanistan. However, the Taliban have repeatedly rejected that claim and said Pakistani strikes hit homes, civilian areas and non-military sites.

The report also said civilian deaths inside Pakistan fell significantly in March, dropping to 39 from 132 a month earlier, a decline of around 70 percent. It added that injuries from security incidents also decreased by 37 percent, with 210 people wounded in March compared with 333 in February.

At the same time, several militant groups, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen, reportedly warned of intensified attacks in response to Pakistan’s military campaign. Still, the think tank argued that the broader impact of those retaliatory threats remained limited during the month.

A separate wave of criticism has focused on one of the deadliest reported strikes of the month, when Pakistani warplanes allegedly hit the Omid drug rehabilitation center in Kabul. Human Rights Watch said the attack on the medical facility was unlawful and could amount to a possible war crime, while Pakistan denied targeting civilians.

Border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated sharply in recent months, driven by Islamabad’s accusations that the Taliban are sheltering militants behind attacks inside Pakistan. Taliban officials deny the charge and insist that Pakistan’s security crisis is a domestic issue.

The United Nations has also warned that cross-border shelling and airstrikes have caused civilian casualties and damage to homes and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan. Rights groups and international agencies have called for accountability and stronger protection of non-combatants.

The latest figures may suggest a temporary decline in violence inside Pakistan, but they do not point to a lasting resolution. As cross-border strikes, militant threats and civilian harm continue, the broader conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains volatile and deeply dangerous.

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