Pakistan Army officer killed in IED blast

“A Pakistan Army officer has been killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast during a security operation in the country's Balochistan province,” authorities said on Monday (October 19, 2026).

Security forces conducted a series of operations in the Shadi Kaur area in Gwadar and Jattakabad in Kalat district on Sunday (October 18, 2026) on the reported presence of terrorists, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military.

According to the Army, the forces conducted an operation on Sunday in the Jattakabad area and killed four terrorists while it recovered “a large cache of arms and ammunition”.

The forces also carried out a series of clearance operations in the Shadi Kaur area of Pasni in Gwadar district. During the action, 34-year-old Major Wajahat Waheed was killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack when he was leading an operation. “Sanitisation operations will continue to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area,” the Army said.

It added that the security forces and law enforcement agencies were committed to eliminating the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has paid tribute to security forces for killing the four terrorists and expressed grief over the death of the Army officer.

“Major Wajahat Waheed sacrificed his life for the protection of our beloved homeland; the nation is proud of its brave son,” the Prime Minister said. He also extended heartfelt condolences to the family of the killed officer and prayed for the elevation of his rank.

Balochistan has witnessed an increase in terrorist activities in recent years, while the state forces are active to quell the disturbance. A day earlier, security forces killed eight terrorists during operations in the Quetta, Nushki and Khuzdar districts.