Major Wajahat Waheed Embraces Martyrdom in Gwadar IED Attack
A Pakistan Army major laid down his life in Balochistan on Monday when an improvised explosive device struck a security forces contingent during a clearance operation in the coastal city of Gwadar. The Gwadar IED attack claimed the life of Major Wajahat Waheed, 34, a resident of Lahore, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
The same day, the ISPR confirmed that security forces had eliminated four militants described as India-sponsored terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Kalat district. The statement made clear that the Gwadar IED attack and the Kalat IBO were part of a weekend-long series of operations conducted across the two districts of Balochistan.
According to the military’s media wing, security forces conducted a series of operations on Sunday in the Shadi Kaur area of Gwadar and in Jattakabad in Kalat district, acting on reports about the presence of terrorists in both locations. The two operations, one an intelligence-based strike and the other a clearance sweep, marked another intense weekend for troops fighting a rising wave of militant violence across the province.
Jattakabad IBO: Four Militants Killed, Weapons Recovered
The first engagement came when security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Jattakabad, effectively targeting a militant hideout, the ISPR said. During the IBO, troops killed four militants and recovered a large quantity of weapons and ammunition from the site of the operation.
The ISPR described the slain men as India-sponsored terrorists, a characterisation the military has increasingly applied to militant networks it says are being directed and funded from across the border. The recovery of the weapons cache, the statement said, pointed to a hideout being used to stage attacks on security forces and civilians in the region. The IBO was the first of two Sunday engagements, the second of which was the Gwadar IED attack on the clearance team in Shadi Kaur.
Shadi Kaur Clearance Operation Turns Deadly
Separately, security forces launched clearance operations in the Shadi Kaur area of Gwadar to eliminate other militants believed to be present in the area, the ISPR said. It was during this clearance operation that the contingent of Major Wajahat Waheed was targeted with an IED.
The Gwadar IED attack killed the 34-year-old officer on the spot, making him the latest among the officers and men who have embraced martyrdom in the ongoing counterterrorism effort in Balochistan. The military’s media wing said that clearance operations in the area would continue until the remaining militants in the area had been eliminated.
Gwadar, the flagship city of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has seen repeated attacks on security personnel and infrastructure in recent years, and clearance operations are a standard response after militant sightings are reported in the rugged terrain surrounding the port city.
Nawaz Sharif Pays Tribute to the Fallen Officer
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif paid tribute to the sacrifices of the armed forces, saying the nation would never forget its martyrs, who sacrificed their lives to protect Pakistan and its people. Sharif’s tribute came after news of the Gwadar IED attack that martyred Major Wajahat Waheed and the successful IBO in Kalat broke on Monday morning.
Those responsible for attacking Pakistan’s soldiers must not be spared and should face the strictest possible action under the law, he added. His remarks echoed the ISPR’s own position that the military remains resolved to pursue militant networks to their end.
Rising Militant Violence: The Broader Context
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in cross-border terrorist incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. The twin incidents in Gwadar and Kalat came against the backdrop of what data shows is the most violent period for the country in more than a decade.
Pakistan recorded its highest monthly number of militant attacks in 12 years during September 2026. According to data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based independent think tank monitoring anti-state violence in the region, 225 militant attacks were recorded across the country in September, compared with 199 in August — an increase of 13 per cent.
Militant attacks have now increased for the third consecutive month, the PICSS data shows, underlining the sustained pressure facing security forces on both the western and southwestern fronts.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by militant organisations to carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Pakistan maintains that the Afghan Taliban regime has failed to take effective action against groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.
Despite multiple rounds of talks, Islamabad and Kabul have yet to resolve their differences, with the issue of militant groups operating from Afghan soil remaining a major point of contention between the two sides. The Gwadar IED attack and the weekend’s operations in Gwadar and Kalat show security forces responding on multiple fronts as militant attacks rise for the third consecutive month.
Sources: The News Pakistan, ISPR press release. UrduPro is an independent news portal; this article is based on the ISPR’s official statement and reporting by The News Pakistan.
Related Posts
Pakistan NewsIshaq Dar Departs for Tajikistan to Lead Pakistan at SCO Heads of Government Meeting
Pakistan News‘No Ifs or Buts’: DG ISPR Says Attack on Makkah Alliance Member State Will Trigger Collective Response
Pakistan NewsFire Breaks Out at Garment Factory Warehouse in Karachi’s SITE Area
Pakistan NewsPakistan Suspends Iran Border Trade at Taftan and Gabd-Rimdan Over Security Concerns
Pakistan NewsPakistan Extends Airspace Ban on Indian Aircraft Until November 24, 2026
Pakistan NewsLahore Smog 2026: Causes, AQI Levels and How to Stay SafeMost Popular
How-ToPTA Tax Calculator 2026: Check Mobile Tax on Any Phone79 views
BISPPunjab Driving License Scam Alert: Fake Websites & “Without Test” Fraud | UrduPro76 views
Canada JobsTech Jobs in Canada: Roles, Salaries, and Skills Needed74 views
BusinessTech Stocks Trillion Loss: $1 Trillion Wiped Out as Oil Hits $11066 views
TechnologyTecno Mobile Prices in Pakistan 2026: Spark, Camon and Pova Series Compared57 views
ShowbizWomen’s Fashion in Pakistan 2026: Trends, Brands and Style Guide52 views
