RAWALPINDI/DI KHAN:
An army officer and a soldier were martyred during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Mastung district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Meanwhile, two more law enforcement personnel were martyred in separate terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
The ISPR said that Major Zeeyyad Salim Awal, 31, from Khushab, led his unit bravely from the front and was martyred alongside Sepoy Nazam Hussain, 22, from Jhelum.
Security forces engaged and killed three terrorists linked to an Indian proxy group called Fitna al Hindustan during the Mastung operation. ISPR confirmed that the troops effectively targeted the terrorists’ hideout and eliminated them. However, during the intense exchange of fire, Major Zeeyyad and Sepoy Nazam lost their lives in the line of duty.
Following the clash, a sanitization operation is ongoing in the area to eliminate any remaining militants. ISPR emphasized that Pakistan’s armed forces remain committed to eradicating Indian-backed terrorism and that sacrifices like these only strengthen their resolve.
Elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lance Naik Zafar from the Tall Scouts—resident of Kamar Dhand village in Kohat—was killed in a sniper attack. In another incident in Bannu district, an FC soldier was martyred and two others injured when their vehicle was attacked. According to sources, police returned fire, injuring one terrorist who was later taken away by his comrades. A pistol and magazine were recovered, and a search operation has been launched in the area.
President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the soldiers who carried out the successful IBO in Mastung and mourned the loss of Major Zeeyyad and Sepoy Nazam. He praised their bravery and offered condolences to their families, saying the entire nation honors their sacrifice. “Major Zeeyyad and Sepoy Nazam have set a powerful example of heroism in defense of the homeland,” he said.
Zardari reaffirmed that the sacrifices made by the armed forces would not be forgotten and that the war against terrorism will continue until Indian-sponsored networks are dismantled. “The people of Pakistan stand firmly behind their soldiers,” he added.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also extended his condolences to the families and paid tribute to the martyred soldiers. “Major Zeeyyad and Sepoy Nazam showed outstanding courage and neutralized three terrorists before embracing martyrdom,” he said.
Naqvi stressed that their martyrdom is the highest honor and that the nation owes its safety to heroes like them. “Their blood has written a new chapter in the struggle against terrorism,” he said. He reiterated the government’s resolve to eliminate every last terrorist and assured the families that the nation supports them in their grief.
