Funeral prayers were offered on Monday for 14 soldiers martyred during clashes along the Afghan border over the weekend, the military’s media wing said in a statement.

On Sunday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said 23 Pakistani troops were martyred and more than 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated terrorists were killed in border clashes following an attack from the Afghan side.

Funeral prayers were offered for 12 martyrs at Rawalpindi’s Chaklala Garrison, while prayers were offered for two others in their native towns of Gujar Khan and Pind Dadan Khan, respectively.

“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, Chief of Army Staff, federal ministers, [KP] governor, civil and military officers and public attended the funeral,” the ISPR statement read.

In a statement, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was quoted as saying, “People of Pakistan are indebted to the ultimate sacrifice of these heroes who laid down their lives while defending [the] territorial integrity of Pakistan against the cowardly and treacherous aggression of [the] Taliban Regime and Indian sponsored terrorist proxies operating from inside Afghan soil.”

According to the statement, he added that the “armed forces of Pakistan remain resolute to thwart any aggression and conspiracy against Pakistan with full support of the nation“.

Meanwhile, two soldiers were laid to rest in their native towns in Punjab with full military honours this afternoon. Lance Naik Muhammad Waqas Shaheed was buried in his native Bhrroll village near Changa Bangial, while Sepoy Muhammad Tayyab was buried in his native Jhuggian village in Pind Dadan Khan tehsil.

A Dawn.com correspondent at the scene reported that senior military and public officials paid their respects at the funeral.