Lahore: Pakistani Major Moiz Abbas Shah, who was involved in the capture of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, has been killed in a clash with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.
Eleven terrorists were eliminated during an intelligence-based operation in South Waziristan district on Tuesday, but two security personnel, including Major Shah, lost their lives, India Today reported citing Pakistan military.
Then-wing commander Abhinandan was part of the pushback team of Srinagar-based 51 Squadron, which was deployed to counter Pakistan’s fighter jets headed to India after our Armed forces had attacked a terrorist training camp at Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 26. India’s offensive came 12 days after the Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
In the aerial fight against Pakistan’s fleet of fighter jets meant to target Indian military installations, Abhinandan’s plane, too, was shot down. Abhinandan managed to eject from his plane, but landed on the other side of Line of Control (LoC).
Abhinandan, who was captured by Major Shah and other Pakistani officers, became the focus of India-Pakistan tension for over two days before then-Pakistan PM Imran Khan announced his release as a “gesture of peace”.
In November, Abhinandan was promoted.
