Pakistan(National Times)- A terrorist attack on a police check post in Dera Ghazi Khan was foiled after security personnel repelled the assailants, forcing them to flee, Punjab Police said on Saturday. According to a Punjab Police spokesperson, 15 to 20 terrorists launched a coordinated assault on the Jhangi checkpost, located within the jurisdiction of Vahowa police station, under the cover of darkness. The attackers used rocket launchers, hand grenades, and advanced weaponry in the strike. However, police forces swiftly retaliated, thwarting the attack and compelling the terrorists to escape. A search operation has been launched in the area to track down the fleeing militants. RPO Dera Ghazi Khan, Captain (retd) Sajjad Hassan Khan Manj, led the police operation, accompanied by DPO Dera Ghazi Khan Syed Ali. The country has been reeling under increased terrorism for more than a year despite efforts by the government and security agencies to suppress it.  The year 2024 turned out to be the deadliest for Pakistan’s civil and military security forces in a decade with at least 685 fatalities and 444 terror attacks, according to “CRSS Annual Security Report 2024” issued by Centre for Security and Strategic Studies. Equally alarming were the cumulative losses of civilians and security personnel, i.e., 1,612 fatalities, accounting for over 63% of the total recorded this year, marking 73% more losses compared to 934 outlaws eliminated, The News reported citing CRSS report. The overall fatalities recorded the previous year were a record 9-year high and over 66% more than in 2023. On average, nearly seven people lost their lives daily, with November emerging as the deadliest month across all metrics, compared to all other months of the year. The violence took the heaviest toll on KP which topped in human losses with 1,616 fatalities, followed by Balochistan with 782 fatalities. In 2024, the country suffered 2,546 violence-linked fatalities and 2,267 injuries among civilians, security personnel and outlaws. This tally of casualties stemmed from 1,166 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations, marking a grim year for the country’s security landscape.