Lieutenant Colonel Syed Kashif Ali Shaheed, 39, was a resident of Karachi while Captain Muhammad Ahmed Badar Shaheed, 23 was a resident of Talagang.

At 6:15am yesterday, a group of six terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the gate of the Frontier Corps’ checkpost in the Khaddi market area in Mir Ali area.

In today’s early hours, the funeral prayers of the two officers were offered at Chaklala Garrison Rawalpindi, the military’s media wing said.

The funeral prayers was attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir, along with other senior serving military and civil officers, relatives of the martyred officials, and locals of the area.

“The Pakistan Army has consistently upheld the ideals of faith, unity and discipline. Guided by these enduring principles, the Pakistan Army has always endeavoured to set higher benchmarks of professionalism and loyalty in its unrelenting fight against terrorism,” the ISPR statement quoted President Zardari as saying.

 “This noble sacrifice stands as another glorious testament to the unflinching resolve of our gallant sons, who have never hesitated to offer the ultimate sacrifice for the defence of our motherland. The whole nation stands in solidarity with our armed forces’’, the president said.

President Zardari further said, “Pakistan has decided that whoever will enter our borders, homes or country and commit terror, we will respond to them strongly, regardless of who it is or from which country.”

 “The bodies of the martyred have been taken to their native home towns where they will be laid to rest with full military honour,” the ISPR said.

The responsibility for the terrorist attack was claimed by Hafiz Gul Bahadur group. Gul was previously a government contractor and a good Taliban-turned-militant leader. Gul’s banned outfit is the strongest militant group in North Waziristan.