More than 72,000 people have been killed in terrorism-related violence in Pakistan since March 2000, including over 23,000 civilians, more than 38,000 militants, and over 11,000 members of the security forces, according to data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), a database that tracks terrorism and insurgency across South Asia.
International policy institutes and analytical reports have linked the toll to the long-running debate over Pakistan’s approach to militant groups, a strategy that some researchers have described as the distinction between “good militants” and “bad militants.”
According to analyses by the Brookings Institution, Pakistan’s security establishment for years differentiated between militant organizations considered aligned with the country’s strategic interests and those regarded as direct threats to the state. The think tank argues that the policy was shaped by regional security calculations dating back several decades.
The reports say the approach provided Islamabad with geopolitical leverage during certain periods and supported aspects of its regional strategy. However, researchers argue that it also produced unintended long-term consequences as some militant groups evolved beyond the state’s control.
Analysts also point to the deterioration of relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban government in recent years, particularly as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) intensified attacks inside Pakistan, creating new security challenges for the country.
According to the studies, the rise of the TTP illustrates the changing dynamics of militancy in the region. Unlike the Afghan Taliban, whose primary objective was to regain control of Afghanistan, the TTP has focused on challenging the Pakistani state and seeking to replace the country’s political system with its own interpretation of Islamic law.
The reports note that clashes between the TTP and Pakistan’s security forces have been among the deadliest episodes of the country’s conflict with militant groups, contributing to thousands of civilian and military casualties over the past two decades.
Several researchers trace the origins of Pakistan’s security doctrine to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, when the country became a key base for supporting Afghan fighters with backing from the United States, Western allies, and Gulf states during the Cold War. According to the analyses, parts of the infrastructure established during that period remained in place after the conflict ended.
The studies argue that militant groups operating in Afghanistan or Indian-administered Kashmir were, at various stages, viewed by Pakistan’s security establishment as serving strategic objectives, while organizations targeting the Pakistani state itself came to be regarded as security threats.
Researchers say this distinction contributed over time to the proliferation of militant organizations and the spread of extremism, placing significant security, economic and social burdens on Pakistan while sustaining a prolonged cycle of militancy and counterterrorism.
The analyses further argue that Pakistan’s internal security challenges have coincided with tensions in its relations with neighboring Afghanistan and India, as well as growing Chinese concerns following attacks targeting Chinese nationals and infrastructure projects inside Pakistan.
Brookings and other analysts conclude that relying on non-state armed groups to pursue short-term strategic objectives can create long-term security risks, citing Pakistan’s experience as an example of the challenges associated with such policies.
Pakistan has consistently rejected accusations that it supports militant groups as an instrument of foreign policy, maintaining that it has been one of the world’s biggest victims of terrorism. Pakistani authorities say the country has lost tens of thousands of civilians and security personnel in militant attacks and has conducted extensive military operations against extremist organizations while continuing to cooperate with international partners on counterterrorism efforts.
The debate over Pakistan’s approach to militant groups remains active among researchers and policymakers, with differing assessments over the effectiveness of Islamabad’s security policies and the extent to which the country has overcome the legacy of decades of regional conflict and militancy.
