Eleven servicemen, including a lieutenant colonel and a major, were martyred during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district, the army’s media affairs wing said on Wednesday.
An Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said that last night, security forces conducted an IBO in Orakzai district over the alleged presence of terrorists belonging to the Indian power. Fitna Al Khawarij.
Fitna Al Khawarij is the state-designated term for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
“During the operation, 19 Indian-sponsored military personnel kwarij They were sent to hell due to the effective commitment of their own troops,” the ISPR said.
He added that during the exchange of fire, Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Tariq, 39, who was leading his troops from the front, and his second-in-command, Major Tayyab Rahat, 33, embraced martyrdom along with nine of their men.
The soldiers were identified as Naib Subedar Azam Gul, 38, Naik Adil Hussain, 35, Naik Gul Ameer, 34, Lance Naik Sher Khan, 31, Lance Naik Talish Faraz, 32, Lance Naik Irshad Hussain, 32, Sepoy Tufail Khan, 28, Sepoy Aqib Ali, 23, and sepoy Muhammad Zahid, 24.
The ISPR said a sanitization operation was being carried out to remove any other Indian-sponsored ones. kharji found in the area. He further stated that the security forces were “determined to eliminate the menace of Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve.”
Funeral prayers were offered for the two officers in Rawalpindi’s Chaklala district, attended by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal ministers and military and civic officials, the ISPR said in a later statement.
“The Prime Minister, in paying tribute to the 11 shuhadadas (martyrs) of [the] Orakzai incident, resolved [the] The Pakistani nation remains firm and determined against this threat of terrorism and shuhadadas The final sacrifice is a reminder of the nation’s unwavering determination to defend the homeland at all costs,” the statement said, adding that the remaining nine martyrs will be buried in their hometowns with full military honors.
Prime Minister Shehbaz paid tribute to the country’s security forces for killing 19 terrorists and also expressed grief over the martyrdom of soldiers, including Lt Col Arif and Major Rahat, according to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office.
“The sacrifices of the intrepid sons of the security forces will never be in vain,” he said.
“We will crush the nefarious intentions of Indian-backed terrorists. We will not allow elements that harm the integrity of Pakistan to succeed,” he added. Prime Minister Shehbaz said the government was determined to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the country.
A statement issued by the presidency stated that President Asif Ali Zardari had paid tribute to the “brave action of the security forces in Orakzai district”.
He added: “[The] The President expressed satisfaction over the elimination of 19 terrorists from the Indian-backed group. kwarij. “The President declared Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Tariq Shaheed, Major Tayyab Rahat and other martyrs as heroes of the nation,” the statement read.
He added that Zardari expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs, praying that they bear their loss with patience and courage.
The president said the brave sons set an eternal example by sacrificing their lives while defending their country. “The sacrifices of the martyrs are a symbol of the determination and unity of the nation.”
He reiterated the “resolve to completely eliminate Indian-backed terrorism from the soil of Pakistan.”
“The entire nation stands like a lead wall with its armed forces,” the statement quoted him as saying.
A statement issued by the PPP said party president Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also expressed grief over the martyrdom of the 11 security personnel and paid tribute to them.
The statement posted on PPP’s X account said Bilawal expressed his condolences to the families of the martyrs and expressed solidarity with them.
“Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari prayed for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs,” the statement said, adding that he reaffirmed his “unwavering support to the security forces during the ongoing operation to eliminate the terrorists.”
Expressing grief over the martyrdom of security personnel and paying tribute to them, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate the menace of state-led terrorism. APPLICATION reported.
“The sacrifices of our armed forces and security personnel in the war against terrorism will never be in vain. […] “They will never be able to fulfill their nefarious designs,” said the APPLICATION quoted him saying.
Meanwhile, Iranian ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said in a statement that he was “extremely despondent” to learn of the staff’s martyrdom.
“At this time of deep grief, I extend my deepest condolences and condolences to the government, armed forces and people of Pakistan, particularly the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones,” the statement said. “May Allah Almighty grant eternal peace to the souls of the deceased and grant strength and patience to their families.”
Pakistan has witnessed a rise in terrorist attacks, especially in KP and Balochistan, mainly targeting police, law enforcement personnel and security forces. Attacks increased after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022.
Two reports, published last week by the Pakistan Institute of Conflict and Security Studies and the Center for Security Research and Studies, on militant violence in the country over the past month, stated that the first three quarters of 2025 saw almost as much violence as was seen in all of 2024.
