Also, over 2,227 civilians and around 1,004 security personnel were martyred during terrorist attacks, including bombings and rocket attacks, throughout the country. The reported number of militants killed during the year was over 8,000.

About 49 suicide attacks were carried out in NWFP alone. Statistics revealed that Punjab was the next major target of suicide bombers after NWFP. Twenty-two suicide bombers succeeded to carry out attacks in various parts of Punjab and Islamabad during the last 12 months.

Seven suicide bombings occurred in the federally administered tribal areas (Fata), while two bombers struck in Balochistan. Sindh was spared as there was no suicide bombing there during 2009.

The year 2009 recorded over 33 percent more attacks than 2008. Fifty-nine bombers struck in 2008 and 56 in 2007. The number of such attacks was seven in 2006, four in 2005, seven in 2004 and two each in 2003 and 2002.

January, July and September remained a little peaceful. Nine suicide bombings were carried out across the country during the current month, nine each in October and November, four in September, six in August, four in July, nine in June, seven in May, six in April, seven each in March and February and three in January.

The deadliest suicide attack was the one at Meena Bazaar in Peshawar on October 29 in which over 120 people were killed and 200 were injured. Several people, still missing, are now believed to have been blown to pieces.

The bombing at Parade Lane Mosque in Rawalpindi during the first week of December was another deadly bombing that claimed the lives of several senior military officials, including a major general, two brigadiers and two colonels. The lone son of Corps Commander Peshawar was among several children of the army officers who lost their lives in this attack.

Among the high-profile figures killed during the terrorist attacks in 2009 were two members of the NWFP Assembly. Dr Shamsher Ali Khan was killed in a suicide bombing in Swat last month while Alamzeb Khan was killed in a roadside bomb attack on his car in Peshawar in January.

NWFP Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour survived second suicide attack on him on March 11, which left six people including two suicide bombers dead.

The suicide bombers detonated a vehicle loaded with 100 kilograms of explosives near offices of the capital city police officer (CCPO) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Lahore on March 11, killing at least 27 persons and injuring 326 others. An ISI colonel and 15 police officials were among those killed.

The blast at the entrance to the ISI headquarters on Khyber Road in Peshawar was the most powerful. The bang was heard even in other districts. At least 13 people, including 10 security men, were killed in the attack and the destruction of infrastructure was huge.

The suicide attack on Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar on June 9 and the huge blast in Soekarno Square on October 9 were the two other deadly blasts. Over 17 people were killed and over 60 wounded in the bombing in Peshawar's lone five-star hotel, prompting foreigners and diplomats to leave the provincial capital. The blast in Soekarno Square left over 55 people killed and many wounded. It was later removed from the list of suicide bombings, and classified as a car bomb.

On June 5, a suicide bomber killed 49 worshippers, including 12 children, at a mosque in a remote village of Dir Upper District. Dozens more were injured as a young man detonated explosives fastened to his body minutes before the Friday congregation in the Hayagay Sharqi village.

Two successive blasts killed around 50 people and injured more than 100 at the crowded Moon Market in Allama Iqbal Town of Lahore in Punjab. The two bombs exploded with an interval of 30 seconds.