Days after Donald Trump thanked Islamabad for handing over terrorist, Pakistan gets SECOND Rank in Global Terror Index

Despite Pakistan's tall claim of fighting against terrorism and being a victim of the scourge, it holds the second position in the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025.

Published by the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP), the GTI report reveals that the number of terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan has increased consistently for five years. 

Besides recording the largest year-on-year increase in the last 10 years, Pakistan registered a rise of 45% in terrorist attacks last year. 

Donald Trump Praises Pakistan

Ironically, the GTI report was published days after US President Donald Trump had thanked Islamabad for handing over Muhammad Sarifullah, an accused in Kabul Airport bombings in 2021, killing more than 200 people, including 13 US soldiers.

Addressing the first joint meeting of the Congress in his second term of presidency Donald Trump praised Islamabad. He said, "And I want to especially thank the government of Pakistan for helping arrest this monster. This was a very momentous day for those 13 families, most of whom I actually got to know very well, whose children were murdered, and for the many people who were so badly injured on that fateful day in Afghanistan." 

Terror-Related Activities Increase In Pakistan

The GTI report says, "This trend is mirrored by a rise in the number of terror attacks, which more than doubled from 517 in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024. This is the first year that the attacks have exceeded 1,000 since the inception of the index."

With its operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has emerged as the fastest-growing terror outfit. It has registered an increase of 90% in deaths. 

The terror group, which allegedly draws inspiration from Afghanistan-based Taliban, carried out 482 attacks, that caused 585 deaths in 2024. This is an increase of 91% from the previous year when the number of terror-related deaths reached 293.

TTP Emerges As Top Most Terror Group

The GTI report says, "TTP was responsible for 52% of deaths in Pakistan in 2024. Pakistan has experienced a significant rise in terrorism since the Taliban's rise to power in Afghanistan. Terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan have intensified their attacks, particularly along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border."

It said further, "The province of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remains the most heavily affected regions, with these western border areas accounting for over 96% of terrorist attacks and deaths in Pakistan during 2024."

The Global Terror Index report is a compilation of terror activities taking place in 163 countries worldwide, or about 99.7% of the world's population.