Contaminated by: antipersonnel mines (extent unknown), antivehicle mines, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

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).

In 2016, Pakistan reiterated past statements that it “faces no problem of uncleared mines.” It again acknowledged that the army laid mines on its eastern border with India during an escalation of tensions in 2001–2002, but stated those mines were all cleared and the army has not laid any more since then.[1] It has, though, continued to report IED attacks, including improvised antipersonnel mines and antivehicle mines in 2016.[2]

In September 2017, Pakistan’s Parliamentary Committee on SAFRON (State and Frontier Regions) noted that according to a rough estimate, about 10,000 landmines are in the Mehsud inhabited area in South Waziristan agency.[3]

Program Management

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

Pakistan reported that a National Counter IED Forum, involving Armed Forces, the Civil Defence Organisation, and Law Enforcement Agencies and Police, has been established to respond to the IED threat at the national level.[5]

Land Release

There are no reports of formal land release in 2016.

The Monitor acknowledges the contributions of the Mine Action Review (www.mineactionreview.org), which has conducted the mine action research in 2017, including on survey and clearance, and shared all its resulting landmine and cluster munition reports with the Monitor. The Monitor is responsible for the findings presented online and in its print publications.