From Balochistan unrest to LoC blows: Deaths in Pak rise before-after Op Sindoor

Pakistan is witnessing an unprecedented spike in military and civilian casualties in 2025, with figures from intelligence agencies revealing that deaths from internal conflicts and cross-border terrorism have reached their highest levels in recent years.

Even before India launched Operation Sindoor, Islamabad was grappling with a surge in attacks from Baloch insurgents and other militant groups. According to intelligence inputs, over 350 major attacks and at least 20 smaller and unreported ambushes targeted Pakistani forces in Balochistan alone in the first five months of the year.

As per the latest data, 191 civilians were killed in various internal conflicts and terror strikes, while 398 personnel from Pakistan’s security forces – including the army, air force and police – lost their lives between January and early May 2025. These figures do not include casualties sustained during Operation Sindoor.

Launched in retaliation to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor inflicted massive damage on Pakistan’s military infrastructure. On the night of May 6 and 7, the Indian armed forces struck nine locations and 21 targets, including areas along the Line of Control (LoC).

Between May 9 and 10, Indian strikes expanded across a 1,420 km front – from Malir to Kotli – hitting 11 high-value Pakistan Air Force bases and military installations, in addition to 23 LoC targets.

Initial assessments suggest that over 100 terrorists were killed during the first wave of strikes on May 6 and 7. The Indian response on May 9 and 10 killed an additional 13 Pakistan Army and Air Force personnel. These figures are apart from the 35 to 40 Pakistani security personnel killed along the LoC during the operation.

In total, Operation Sindoor is estimated to have resulted in more than 50 Pakistani military fatalities, and at least 35 non-fatal injuries. Combined with the earlier casualties from internal unrest, Pakistan’s overall toll in 2025 has crossed 500 deaths in just five months – a stark indicator of both internal instability and the rising cost of cross-border provocations.

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