ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan Army Major was killed in a shootout with militants today during a raid on a terrorist hideout in the restive tribal region of Dera Ismail Khan in northwest Pakistan, a senior military official said.
Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations Major General Asif Ghafoor said that 28-year-old Major Ishaq was killed in Kulachi tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan district bordering South Waziristan Agency near the Afghanistan border.
"We have a sacred duty at hand of cleansing & defending our motherland; We shall do it," Ghafoor tweeted, confirming the death of the Army officer.
He also asserted that sacrifices by the soldiers will not go in vain or will be compromised upon.
He, however, did not give any details about casualties suffered by militants in the operation.
Ghafoor said that army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other senior officers, including Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Nazir Butt attended the slain officer's funeral.
The slain Major belonged to Khushab in Punjab province, and has left behind a widow and an infant.
Dera Ismail Khan is a gateway to the North and South Waziristan tribal regions. These were once a base for local and foreign militants.
Major Ishaq is the fourth army officer to be killed during operations against terrorists by security forces in the last three months, Geo News reported.
Earlier, on November 13, an Army Captain along with a jawan was killed in a cross-border attack by terrorists from Afghanistan in Bajaur Agency.
On August 9, a Major and three soldiers were killed during a military operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while on September 23, a 22-year-old Lieutenant was killed during firing by terrorists from across the border in Rajgal, Khyber Agency.