Funeral Prayer Held for Army Officer's Son Killed in Cross-Border Shelling

Islamabad, May 9 – A solemn funeral prayer was held today in Islamabad for seven-year-old Irtaza Abbas Turi, the son of Lieutenant Colonel Zaheer Abbas Turi, who was martyred in Dawarandi, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, following unprovoked cross-border shelling by Indian forces.

The ceremony was attended by a number of high-ranking officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Information Minister. Also present were Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir (NI-M), Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, as well as numerous senior military officers—both serving and retired—government representatives, soldiers, and the grieving family members.

Following the funeral rites, Prime Minister Sharif strongly denounced India’s aggression, calling it a cowardly and deliberate assault on innocent civilians, including children and the elderly. He asserted that such actions reveal the dangerous and arrogant mindset of the Indian leadership, which he warned could destabilize regional and global peace.

Both the President and the Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to respond robustly to such hostilities. They affirmed the unwavering commitment of Pakistan’s armed forces in defending the nation and emphasized that India’s repeated breaches of international and humanitarian laws would be met with firm retaliation.

In their prayers, the President and Prime Minister asked for divine mercy for the victims of this attack and strength for their families to endure this tragic loss, saying, “May Allah grant eternal peace to the innocent lives lost and bless their families with patience and fortitude. Ameen.”