Army officer martyred in Balochistan IBO

An army officer embraced martyrdom over the weekend on Sunday during a shootout with terrorists in Balochistan’s Kohlu district, said the military’s media wing.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted a clearance operation after receiving intelligence-based information about the presence of terrorists in the area.

Terrorists opened indiscriminate fire while fleeing the area as soon as troops started to cordon them off. During the ensuing heavy exchange of fire, Capt Haider Abbas embraced shahadat in pursuit of terrorists.

A follow up operation was launched immediately which is currently underway to round up the remaining terrorists that managed to escape into nearby mountains.

The ISPR added that security forces operations to eliminate terrorists will continue and no one will be allowed to sabotage the hard earned peace in the country’s largest province.

Namaz-e-Janaza of Shaheed Capt Haider was offered at Imambargah Khairul Amal in Ancholi Karachi.

Corps Commander Karachi, Lieutenant General Muhammad Saeed also attended the funeral. Sitting officers, soldiers, relatives of the Shaheed and a large number of people including Amir Khan, Senior Deputy Convener of MQM-Pakistan Rabita Committee, MQM MPA Abbas Jaffery and other leaders were in attendance.

The martyred officer was buried with complete military honour.

The MQM Pakistan’s Rabita Committee expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Capt Haider Abbas.

In its condolence statement, the Rabita Committee expressed its heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the family of the martyr, saying that terrorists cannot demoralise us with such acts. “The whole nation stands with the Pakistan Army in this war on terror and we will continue to fight till the last terrorist is eliminated.”

The Rabita Committee prayed that Allah Almighty elevate the ranks of the soldiers of the army who have been martyred in the war against terrorism.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also paid tribute to Shaheed Capt Haider Abbas, who sacrificed his life during an intelligence-based operation against terrorists.

"Another son of the soil sacrificed his life on Pakistan. Capt Haider embraced martyrdom following the tradition set by Haider-e-Karrar [A title of Hazrat Ali (RA) for courage and bravery]," he said in a tweet.

The minister said the whole nation was indebted to the Shaheed’s sacrifice and saluted him for sacrificing his life while defending the motherland.

Earlier, on Sunday, the military conducted an IBO on the reported presence of terrorists in the North Waziristan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, killing five terrorists.

According to the ISPR, terrorists including Habib Nawaz alias Shakil, Waheedullah, Abdur Rehman, and Muhammadullah were killed in the operation. The identification of the fifth terrorist is being investigated, it added.

"Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists including submachine guns, hand grenades and large quantity of multiple calibre rounds," the statement further said.

The military’s media wing further said that the terrorists were involved in activities against security forces including target killing and kidnapping for ransom.

Sepoy Shabbir Ahmed, a 28-year-old resident of Quetta, fought gallantly and inflicting casualties upon the terrorists, embraced martyrdom during an intense firefight, it said.

(With additional input from agencies)

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2022.