- 11 soldiers martyred in KP’s Orakzai district IBO: ISPR.
- Says 19 Indian-sponsored terrorists killed in operation.
- Adds security forces determined to eradicate terrorism.
RAWALPINDI: Two army officers and nine soldiers embraced martyrdom during an intelligence-based operation against India-backed terrorists in Orakzai district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on the night between October 7-8, security forces conducted an IBO in Orakzai district on the reported presence of terrorists belonging to the Indian proxy, Fitna al Khwarij.
During the operation, the ISPR said that 19 terrorists were also “sent to hell” after effective engagement by troops.
“Lt Col Junaid Tariq, 39, and Maj Tayyab Rahat, 33, both residents of Rawalpindi, led their troops from the front and fought gallantly before embracing martyrdom along with nine soldiers,” the ISPR added.
“The nine brave soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice include Naib Subedar Azam Gul (age: 38 years, resident of district Khyber), Naik Adil Hussain (age: 35 years, resident of district Kurram), Naik Gul Ameer (age: 34 years, resident of district Tank), Lance Naik Sher Khan (age: 31 years, resident of district Mardan), Lance Naik Talish Faraz (age: 32 years, resident of district Manshera), Lance Naik Irshad Hussain (age: 32 years, resident of district Kurram), Sepoy Tufail Khan (age: 28 years, resident of district Malakand), Sepoy Aqib Ali (age: 23 years, resident of district Swabi), Sepoy Muhammad Zahid (age: 24 years, resident of district Tank),” it added.
A sanitisation operation is underway to eliminate any remaining militants in the area, the military’s media wing said, adding that the armed forces remain determined to eradicate the menace of Indian sponsored terrorism from the country and that such sacrifices only strengthen national resolve.
PM lauds security forces
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday paid tribute to security forces for eliminating 19 terrorists of India-backed Fitna-al-Khawarij in an operation in Orakzai district.
The prime minister, in a statement, expressed sorrow over the martyrdom of Lt. Col. Junaid Arif and Major Tayyab Rahat, along with other brave soldiers of the Pakistan Army, during the security operation.
He prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength for their families to bear the loss.
“The sacrifices of the brave soldiers will never go in vain. We will thwart the nefarious designs of India-backed terrorists. Those attempting to harm Pakistan’s integrity will not succeed,” the prime minister said, reiterating the government’s resolve to purge the country of terrorism.
The Orakzai operation comes days after security forces gunned down 14 terrorists linked to Indian proxy Fitna al-Hindustan during an operation in the Zehri area of Balochistan’s Khuzdar, security sources said.
They added that the operation was carried out on the reported presence of terrorists belonging to the Indian proxy, Fitna al-Hindustan, resulting in the killing of at least 14 terrorists, while 20 militants were also injured.
Pakistan has witnessed an alarming 46% surge in overall violence in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, as per the latest statistics issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).
The country reported at least 901 fatalities and 599 injuries, including civilians, security personnel and the terrorists, in a total of 329 incidents of violence, which also included terror attacks and counter-terror operations.
The CRSS report highlights that by Q3, the ongoing year has proven nearly as deadly as all of 2024, with 2,414 fatalities recorded compared to the entire tally of 2024, which reported 2,546 deaths in total
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan — both of which share a porous border with neighbouring Afghanistan — faced the brunt of the terrorism incidents, accounting for more than 96% of the total violence across the country.
KP was the worst-hit region, suffering nearly 71% (638) of the total violence-linked fatalities, and over 67% (221) of the incidents of violence, followed by Balochistan, with over 25% fatalities (230) and incidents (85).
Comparing the Q3 statistics with Q2 (616 fatalities), the report pointed out that KP and Balochistan reported the highest increase in casualties, with 64% (from 390 to 638 fatalities) and 21% (from 190 to 230) surge, respectively.
