Islamabad: Pakistan witnessed a sharp escalation in violence during the third quarter of 2026, with violence-related deaths rising by 83 per cent compared with the previous quarter, according to a report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), as reported by Dawn.

The surge reverses the declining trend recorded during the first two quarters of the year. The CRSS report said at least 1,415 people, including civilians, security personnel and militants, were killed in 385 violent incidents between July and September. Another 558 people were injured.

Balochistan, KP Account for 98% of Deaths

Balochistan emerged as the worst-affected province, recording 829 deaths, or nearly 59 per cent of the national total. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) followed with 556 deaths, accounting for more than 39 per cent.

Together, the two provinces accounted for nearly 98 per cent of all violence-related deaths recorded across Pakistan during the quarter.

Balochistan also reported the highest number of violent incidents, with 186 cases, representing more than 48 per cent of the total. KP recorded 173 incidents, or around 45 per cent.

Balochistan Deaths Jump 213%

The CRSS report said the increase in violence-related deaths between the second and third quarters was the steepest recorded since 2021.

In Balochistan, deaths surged from 265 in the second quarter to 829 in the third, marking an increase of around 213 per cent.

In KP, deaths rose from 475 to 556 during the same period, an increase of more than 17 per cent.

921 Militants Killed in Security Operations

More than 65 per cent of the deaths recorded during the third quarter were militants, according to the report. Around 921 militants were killed during approximately 154 security operations.

The figure was more than double the 453 militants reported killed during security operations in the second quarter, highlighting the sharp deterioration in Pakistan’s security situation during the July-September period.