Pakistani soldier embraces martyrdom in Central African Republic: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: A Pakistani soldier named Havaldar Muhammad Shafiq embraced martyrdom while on duty during a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR), the military’s public affairs wing said in a statement on Thursday.

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Havaldar Shafiq joined the UN mission in February 2021 and was a dedicated member of the Pakistan contingent, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) according to Bol News.

“He was a brave and dedicated member of the Pakistan contingent ensuring the protection of civilians in the CAR and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance,” it added.

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Havaldar Muhammad Shafiq, who embraced Shahadat while serving in United Nations’ Mission in Central African Republic, buried with full military honours : @OfficialDGISPR #APPNews #Pakistan #PakistanArmy @UN @UNPeacekeeping @UNinPak pic.twitter.com/B70iWil9Kq

— APP 🇵🇰 (@appcsocialmedia) December 2, 2021

The Pakistani soldier was buried with full military honours after his funeral prayers in his native town in Mian Channu, Khanewal. He is survived by his wife and three sons.

So far, 162 Pakistani peacekeepers have laid down their lives as part of the UN global mission for international peace and stability.

In September this year, another Pakistani soldier, Lance Naik Adil Jan, had embraced martyrdom during the UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan.

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The CAR, the second least developed country in the world according to UN rankings, was plunged into a bloody civil war after a coup in 2013. The conflict has calmed over the past three years, although large swathes of territory remain outside central government control.