A 19-year-old army cadet was martyred when armed terrorists opened fire on a mosque during evening prayers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district on Friday, the military’s media wing said.

According to a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Gentleman Cadet Arif Ullah was offering prayers in the mosque when the attack took place.

“As soon as Khawarij started firing, he (Arif Ullah) immediately responded and fought the khawarij bravely,” the press release stated.

“However, during the incident, Gentleman Cadet Arif Ullah embraced Shahadat (martyrdom), sacrificing his life, while saving many innocent lives of worshippers.”

The cadet was undergoing training in Kakul, but had returned to his hometown of Lakki Marwat on leave, the ISPR said.

“Such [a] heinous and cowardly act of attacking worshippers in the mosque while praying reflects the true ideology of these Khawarij,” the release read.

“[The] valiant act of a young Gentleman Cadet is a testament of spirit of sacrifice and dedication of Security Forces personnel to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country and such sacrifices further strengthen our resolve,” the ISPR said.

In July, the government, through an official notification, designated the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as Fitna al Khawarij, while mandating all institutions to use the term khariji (outcast) when referring to the perpetrators of terrorist attacks on Pakistan.

A day ago, a high-value target was among nine militants killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district, the ISPR said on Thursday.

“On the night of Oct 23/24, the security forces conducted an IBO on the reported presence of khawarij where “[own] troops effectively engaged the khawarij location”, according to the ISPR.

“After [an] intense fire exchange, nine khawarij including two suicide bombers and a high-value target khariji ring leader Said Muhammad alias Qureshi Ustad were sent to hell,” it added.

The country has witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces, other law enforcement agencies, and security checkpoints, particularly in Balochistan and KP.

Attacks escalated after the TTP broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022 and vowed to target security forces.

Condemnations pour in

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to X to condemn the attack, stating that Arif Ullah’s sacrifice “embodies the patriotism” of the armed forces.

“Gentleman Cadet Arifullah of Pakistan Military Academy Kakul became a martyr by bravely thwarting an attack by cowardly enemies on innocent worshippers, setting an example of courage and raising the nation’s pride,” he wrote.

“This gesture embodies the patriotism and dedication of the Pakistan Army to its homeland. Salute to this spirit of loyalty.”

Meanwhile, Barrister Saif, the information adviser for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, condemned the “cowardly” attack in a statement and paid tribute to the martyred cadet’s sacrifice.

“Shaheed Arif Ullah bravely fought the terrorists and saved innocent lives,” the statement said. “Arif Ullah’s sacrifice will always be remembered.”

The statement added that Barrister Saif “stands with the bereaved family in this hour of grief”.