Three officers, one soldier martyred in NWD IED attack

MIRANSHAH: Four personnel of Pakistan Army, including three officers, were martyred in an IED explosion in Kharkamar area of North Waziristan on Friday, official sources said.

Four soldiers also sustained injuries in the blast caused by the IED (improvised explosive device) planted on the roadside. The martyred soldiers were identified as Lt Col Raashid Karim Baig, a resident of Karimabad, Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan, Major Moeez Maqsood from Karachi, Capt Arifullah from Lakki Marwat and Lance Havaldar Zaheer from Chakwal.

The last named three personnel were from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Lt Col Raashid Karim Baig was from the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Kharkamar, situated close to Boya, is the same place where a firing incident had taken place on May 26.

The Pakistan Army said its security checkpost at Kharkamar was attacked by a mob led by PTM lawmakers Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar MNA. Five soldiers were also wounded. It said three protestors were killed and some others injured in the incident.

Later, more bodies were found, taking the death toll to 13. Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar were arrested along with seven other PTM activists and produced in an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC). Ten security forces personnel have been martyred and 35 injured in North Waziristan in the past one week.

Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday strongly condemned the North Waziristan terror incident in which three officers and a soldier of Pakistan Army were martyred.

In a statement, President Alvi said miscreants were against the restoration of peace in the area; however, the nation was united against them. He prayed for the departed souls to rest in peace and for the grant of courage to the bereaved families.

Prime Minister Imran Khan acknowledged the sacrifices of soldiers, saying their bravery kept the nation safe. “I salute the sacrifices and bravery of our soldiers for keeping us safe. The whole nation stands behind them,” he said in a message over the martyrdom of three officers and a soldier. The prime minister offered condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers and prayed for the recovery of injured.