A Pakistan Army gentleman cadet, Arif Ullah, was martyred on Friday when terrorists attacked a mosque in Lakki Marwat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during Maghrib prayers, according to the military’s media branch, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Gentleman Cadet Arif Ullah, who was training at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul and visiting his hometown on leave, was present at the mosque to offer prayers. When the terrorists launched their attack, Arif “bravely defended himself” but ultimately “embraced martyrdom at the age of 19, sacrificing his life to protect other worshippers,” the ISPR statement said.
In August, the government classified the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as Fitna al Khawarij, condemning their ideology. The statement denounced this “cowardly assault” as a display of these terrorists’ true beliefs and praised Arif’s courage as emblematic of the military’s commitment to eradicating terrorism, noting that such sacrifices only strengthen the nation’s resolve.
A report from the Centre for Research and Security Studies shows a surge in violence in Pakistan during 2023, with 1,524 fatalities and 1,463 injuries across 789 incidents of terrorism and counter-terror operations. This marked the deadliest year in six years, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan seeing over 90% of fatalities and 84% of all attacks, involving both terror strikes and military responses.
