Daily Times

An army officer and a soldier were martyred during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Hassan Khel area of Peshawar district following reports of terrorist presence, said the army’s media wing on Sunday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation resulted in the elimination of five terrorists and injuries to three others. The statement noted that during the intense exchange of fire, Captain Hussain Jahangir, aged 25 and a resident of Rahim Yar Khan District, made the ultimate sacrifice while leading his troops from the front. Havildar Shafiq Ullah, aged 36 and a resident of Karak district, was also martyred while fighting gallantly.

Captain Jahangir, who served in the Pakistan Army for four years, leaves behind grieving parents and siblings. Havildar Shafiq Ullah, who dedicated 18 years to defending the nation, leaves behind his wife, one son, and two daughters. A sanitization operation is underway to ensure the complete elimination of any remaining terrorist presence in the area. The security forces of Pakistan remain determined to eradicate the menace of terrorism, added the ISPR. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has presented a tribute to the security forces for eliminating five terrorists in a successful operation in the Hassan Kehl area of Peshawar.

In a statement, he also prayed the Allah Almighty to grant higher status in heaven to martyred captain Hussain Jahangir and Havaldar Shafiqullah and also commiserated with the bereaved families. The prime minister stated that the soldiers of the security forces carried out a successful operation against the terrorists by risking their lives. He reiterated the resolve to eliminate the monster of terrorism from the Pakistani soil. Shehbaz Sharif the entire nation is proud of their valiant forces. He said the nation presents tribute and salute to the martyrs.

Earlier this month, the army’s media wing confirmed that an army officer sacrificed his life leading a successful IBO on May 14 in Balochistan’s Zhob district, eliminating three terrorists. Meanwhile, on April 18, unidentified gunmen ambushed a team of Customs Intelligence officials in the Dera Ismail Khan district, martyring five officials and two civilians, including a five-year-old girl, before escaping from the scene, police confirmed.