Pakistan Army Major killed in shootout with militants

Islamabad: A Pakistan Army Major was killed in a shootout with militants today during a raid on a terrorist hideout in the restive Dera Ismail Khan district near the Afghanistan border, a senior military official said.

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Major General Asif Ghafoor said that 28-year-old Major Ishaq was killed in Kulachi of Dera Ismail Khan district.

"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, however, did not give any details about casualties suffered by militants in the operations.

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.

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.