ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday visited the residence of martyred Military Intelligence official Col Sohail Abid, in the suburbs of the capital.

He said Abid was a brave son of the nation who sacrificed his life to protect the country.

“The nation is proud of its martyrs. Our forces have rendered huge sacrifices during the war against terrorism.

“Those sacrifices will not be wasted. We have to eliminate the element of hate from the country,” Mr Iqbal, who survived an attempted assassination at a corner meeting in Narowal on May 6, said.

Accompanied by Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Mr Iqbal also visited the graveyard.

Abid was killed in a gunfight during an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan.

Although high ranking officials do not typically lead such operations, he volunteered to command it because of its importance.

A high-value target from Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Salman Badeni, who was allegedly involved in the killing of 100 member of the Hazara community and police personnel, was also killed in the operation.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2018