RAWALPINDI: Funeral prayers were offered on Wednesday for 11 Pakistan Army personnel, including Lt Colonel Junaid Tariq and Major Tayyab Rahat, who were martyred during a counterterrorism operation in Orakzai district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The prayers were held at Chaklala Garrison in Rawalpindi and attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers, civil and military officials, and citizens. The martyrs will be laid to rest with full military honours in their native towns.
The ISPR said the soldiers were martyred during a late-night operation on October 7 and 8 in Orakzai, where security forces targeted Indian-backed terrorists.
According to the ISPR, 19 terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire with security forces.
Among the fallen army men were Lt Col Junaid Tariq, 39 and Maj Tayyab Rahat, 33, both from Rawalpindi, along with nine other soldiers from different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the soldiers’ courage, saying the nation remains steadfast in its resolve to eradicate terrorism.
“The sacrifices of our brave sons will not go in vain,” he said, adding that the government is determined to eliminate terrorism and safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also praised the security forces, expressing condolences to the families of the martyrs and praying for the recovery of two injured soldiers.
He said that the sacrifices of Lt Col Junaid, Maj Tayyab, and their comrades have foiled the nefarious designs of India-sponsored terrorists and will forever be remembered as symbols of national pride and resilience.