Contamination

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan remains heavily affected by mines and other ordnance from the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979–1989) and three wars with India, as well as from more recent and continuing conflicts in areas bordering Afghanistan, including, in particular, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

Pakistan asserts that it “faces no problem of uncleared mines.” In supporting this statement, it acknowledges that the army laid mines on its eastern border with India during an escalation of tensions in 2001–2002, but says those mines were all cleared and the army has not laid any more since then.[1] It has, though, reported continued improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, including improvised antipersonnel mines and antivehicle mines.[2] Pakistani NGOs have reported that, in recent years, mines and other explosive devices have caused hundreds of casualties every year, most of them civilians.[3]

Program Management 

Pakistan has no formal civilian mine action program. Pakistani military engineering units are believed to be responsible for mine clearance in contaminated conflict zones, while the Frontier Constabulary has said it conducts mine clearance in contaminated areas of Baluchistan, FATA, and other conflict zones in the North-West Frontier Province.[4] 

Land Release

There are no reports of formal land release in 2014. Pakistan reported attacks using IEDs and antipersonnel and antivehicle mines “all over the country” and said that in 2014 the Army destroyed 2,944 antipersonnel mines.[5]