Major Wajahat Waheed of the Pakistan Army was killed in an improvised explosive device blast during an operation in Balochistan’s Gwadar district on October 18, 2026. The military confirmed the officer’s death alongside a separate counterterrorism raid in Kalat that neutralized four militants.
Major Wajahat Waheed Dies in Gwadar District Blast
An explosive device detonated during an operation in the Shadi Kaur area of Pasni tehsil, located within the Gwadar district. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, reported that 34-year-old Major Wajahat Waheed was leading a security force component during clearance operations when his unit was targeted.
Major Wajahat Waheed, a son of the soil, made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty and embraced shahadat.
Inter-Services Public Relations, Pakistan Army
The funeral prayer was attended by the Governor of Punjab, the Corps Commander Lahore, senior provincial ministers, civil and military officials, and local residents. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the security forces. He expressed grief, stating that the nation is proud of its brave son who sacrificed his life for the protection of the homeland.
President @AAliZardari pays tribute to the security forces for eliminating four Indian-sponsored terrorists of Fitnat-ul-Hindustan in different areas of Kalat and Gwadar districts of Balochistan.Read More: https://t.co/ze1T0yg9Ks pic.twitter.com/uGxBZt9sqP
President Asif Ali Zardari also commended the security forces. He extended condolences to the bereaved family and vowed that every conspiracy by foreign sponsors and local facilitators would be thwarted. The officer, a 34-year-old native of Lahore, was laid to rest in his home city with full military honors.
Security Forces Target Militants in Kalat and Gwadar
The operation that claimed the major’s life formed part of an intelligence-based campaign. Security agencies identified multiple hideouts belonging to armed groups in the general areas of Shadi Kaur in Gwadar district and Jattakabad in Kalat district, which posed a threat to the local population.
State authorities classify these networks under the designation Fitna al Hindustan, alleging foreign sponsorship from neighbouring India—a charge that New Delhi denies.
The military reported that four terrorists were killed following an intense exchange of fire. Security personnel recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition
from the site.
Military Intensifies Sweeps Across Balochistan Districts
Government data and independent tallies, such as those compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, noted an uptick in attacks across the region over recent months.
Security forces killed eight terrorists in Quetta, Nushki, and Khuzdar districts just a day earlier. Additional operations took place in Washuk and Mastung districts earlier in the month.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari both issued formal statements condemning the attacks, praising the armed forces, and extending condolences to the family of Major Waheed.