Pakistan has been ranked as the country most affected by terrorism in the Global Terrorism Index 2026, marking the first time it has topped the list. The development comes even as the country draws international attention for hosting peace talks between the United States and Iran and expanding its military engagement abroad.

A report said the military is losing ground domestically to militant groups it once supported, with attacks intensifying since the outbreak of the United States and Iran conflict in late February. Most of the violence has been concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which together accounted for a large majority of attacks and fatalities.

The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army have carried out coordinated and increasingly sophisticated assaults, including strikes across multiple districts in Balochistan targeting security forces, infrastructure and civilians. A major suicide bombing outside a Shia mosque in Islamabad killed dozens, while Baloch insurgents also attacked a Coast Guard patrol near Gwadar in a rare maritime assault.

The surge in violence has raised questions about the military’s internal security capabilities, even as Pakistan deploys thousands of troops and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia under a joint strategic defence pact signed last year.