Rawalpindi, October 8, 2025: Eleven Pakistan Army personnel, including a lieutenant colonel and a major, were martyred during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Orakzai district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces launched the overnight operation after receiving reports about the presence of terrorists belonging to the Indian-backed militant outfit Fitna Al Khawarij, the state-designated name for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
“During the operation, 19 Indian-sponsored khawarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops,” the ISPR said, adding that intense exchange of fire took place during the clearance effort.
The statement said that Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Tariq (age 39), who was leading the operation, and Major Tayyab Rahat (age 33), his second-in-command, embraced martyrdom along with nine other soldiers.
The martyred 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 that a sanitisation operation was ongoing to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area.
“Security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country,” the statement read, adding that such sacrifices only strengthened the resolve of the armed forces and the nation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid rich tributes to the martyred soldiers and lauded the security forces for eliminating 19 terrorists.
“The sacrifices of our fearless sons will never go in vain,” he said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to eradicate terrorism, vowing that “Pakistan will crush the nefarious designs of Indian-backed terrorists and protect its integrity at all costs.”
President Asif Ali Zardari also paid homage to the fallen soldiers, calling them “heroes of the nation.”
“The president expressed satisfaction over the elimination of 19 terrorists of the Indian-backed khawarij,” a statement from the Presidency said.
Zardari expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyrs and praised the courage and sacrifice of the armed forces.
“The sacrifices of the martyrs are a symbol of the nation’s unity and determination to defeat terrorism,” he said.
Meanwhile, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also extended condolences to the bereaved families, praying for the elevation of the martyrs’ ranks and reaffirming support for ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, saying that the sacrifices of the armed forces would never be forgotten. “The terrorists will never succeed in achieving their evil objectives,” he said, according to state-run APP.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp surge in militant attacks in recent months, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where security forces and police have frequently been targeted.
According to reports released last week by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) and the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), the first three quarters of 2025 have seen nearly as many terrorist incidents as recorded during the entirety of 2024.
The resurgence in violence follows the breakdown of a ceasefire agreement between the government and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in late 2022.
