- Lt Col Junaid Tariq, Major Tayyab Rahat among 11 martyred in October 7 attack
- PM Shehbaz, President Zardari, and Interior Minister vow to eradicate terrorism from Pakistan
RAWALPINDI: Thirty terrorists involved in this week’s deadly Orakzai incident—which claimed the lives of 11 security personnel, including two officers—were killed in a “retribution operation,” the military’s media wing said on Friday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), “security forces have been conducting a series of targeted retribution operations against the kharijis responsible for the October 7 Orakzai attack, in which Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Tariq and Major Tayyab Rahat embraced martyrdom.”
Security Forces have been conducting a series of retribution operations against the Ks involved in heinous incident that occurred in Orakzai District on 7 October, resulting in the shahadat of brave sons of soil, including Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Tariq and Major Tayyab Rahat.…
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) October 10, 2025
The ISPR said that during an operation conducted on credible intelligence in the Jamal Maya area of Orakzai, “all 30 India-sponsored khawarij involved in the terrorist incident have been sent to hell after an intense exchange of fire.”
“These successful operations have avenged the heinous act and brought the main perpetrators to justice,” the statement added. It further said sanitization operations were ongoing to eliminate any remaining India-sponsored elements, reaffirming that Pakistan’s security forces “remain steadfast in eradicating and wiping out the menace of India-sponsored terrorism from the country.”
The Orakzai incident occurred on Tuesday night during an intelligence-based operation against the reported presence of “Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij.” In that operation, 19 “India-sponsored terrorists” were killed, while 11 security personnel—including two officers—were martyred.
In July, the government formally designated the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as Fitna al-Khawarij, directing all state institutions to use the term “khariji” (outcast) for terrorists carrying out attacks on Pakistani soil.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the martyred soldiers, saying they had laid down their lives while “safeguarding the motherland against the enemy.” He reaffirmed the government’s determination to stamp out terrorism from the country.
President Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement shared on the PPP’s official X account, lauded the “courageous” operation against “India-sponsored terrorists,” saying the nation would forever remember the sacrifices of Lt Col Tariq and Major Rahat. “The brave sons of the soil have written history by sacrificing their lives for the protection of the motherland,” he said.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also hailed the security forces for “thwarting the designs of Fitna al Khawarij terrorists.” He said the nation stood firmly behind its armed forces in the fight against terrorism and vowed that “the terrorists of Fitna al-Khawarij will not find refuge anywhere in Pakistan.”
Pakistan has seen a resurgence in terrorist attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the TTP’s withdrawal from its ceasefire with the government in 2022. Security forces, police, and law enforcement personnel have been the primary targets.
Just a day after the Orakzai attack, a Pakistan Army major was martyred and seven terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan. Last month, 19 soldiers were martyred in multiple attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within a span of days.
Following the recent wave of violence, PM Shehbaz said the “Afghan interim government has been clearly told to choose between supporting the khawarij or standing with Pakistan.”
Islamabad has repeatedly accused India and Afghanistan of facilitating cross-border terrorism. In May, Pakistan designated all terrorist outfits operating in Balochistan as Fitna al Hindustan — a term meant to underscore India’s alleged role in destabilizing Pakistan.
After the Orakzai operation, the ISPR said participants of the 272nd Corps Commanders’ Conference, held at General Headquarters on Wednesday, reaffirmed their resolve to pursue “comprehensive counterterrorism operations across all domains to dismantle networks of Indian-sponsored terror proxies such as Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan.”
Meanwhile, during a federal cabinet meeting a day earlier, PM Shehbaz reiterated that the entire nation stood united against terrorism. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also warned in the National Assembly that the facilitators of terrorism would be pursued “wherever they are” — whether on Pakistani or Afghan soil—declaring that “enough is enough.”
