PM Sharif attends Shaheed Captain Faraz’s funeral prayers

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday attended the funeral prayers of Captain Faraz Ilyas, who was martyred in Lakki Marwat district a day ago, near Chunian in Kasur district.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Punjab Police inspector general and several senior military officers, civil authorities, relatives and area residents also attended the funeral prayers. Captain Faraz, 26, hailed from a village in Kasur district.

Seven Pakistan Army soldiers, including the captain, laid down their lives while performing duties valiantly on Sunday. The soldiers were martyred in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack while travelling in a vehicle.

PM Shehbaz also met with the martyred captain’s parents and offered condolences. He renamed the native village of the martyred officer as “Faraz Ilyas Shaheed” and announced that it would be transformed into a model village.

The Prime Minister told the parents that the sacrifice of their son would not go in vain and prayed for the bereaved family to bear the loss with fortitude. PM Shehbaz said the nation was proud of its brave sons and the coward terrorists could not succeed in shaking their strong resolve.

Besides Capt Faraz, six other soldiers — Subedar Major Muhammad Nazir, 50, resident of Skardu district; Lance Naik Muhammad Anwar, 34, resident of Ghanchi district; Lance Naik Hussain Ali, 36, resident of Ghizer district; Sepoy Asad Ullah, 33, resident of Multan district; Sepoy Manzoor Hussain, 27, resident of Gilgit district; and Sepoy Rashid Mehmood, 31, resident of Rawalpindi district, made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced martyrdom in the Lakki Marwat blast on Sunday, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The military’s media wing also said the sansitisation of the area was being carried out to eliminate any terrorists present in the area and perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice.

“The security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the ISPR said.

President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed grief over the martyrdom of the army’s personnel. He prayed for the high ranks of departed souls, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release. He also condemned the IED attack by the terrorists and reiterated the resolve of the entire nation to root out the menace of terrorism from the country.

Interior Minister Senator Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also strongly condemned the attack and conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of martyrs.