A senior Pakistani Army officer who claimed involvement in the 2019 capture of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was killed in an operation targetting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters in South Waziristan. The slain officer, Major Syed Moiz Abbas Shah, was a member of Pakistan’s elite Special Service Group.

The military confirmed on Tuesday that Shah died during an intelligence-based raid in the Sararogha region. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation resulted in the deaths of 11 terrorists, while two Pakistani security personnel, including Shah, were killed in action.

The operation came amid increasing attacks by the TTP, which has intensified violence in Pakistan’s tribal belt despite Islamabad’s prior associations with various extremist groups. Major Shah, 37, hailed from Chakwal and was known for participating in high-risk military missions. ISPR praised him for his bravery, stating he led the mission and died fighting.

When Did Moiz Abbas Shah Came Into Limelight?

Moiz Abbas Shah became a public figure in 2019 after being credited with the capture of IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman. The incident occurred following an escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel.

In retaliation, India carried out airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot on February 26, 2019. The following day, Pakistan launched a counter-air operation involving nearly two dozen fighter jets. The Indian Air Force scrambled jets in response, triggering a dogfight in the skies over the Line of Control.

Wing Commander Abhinandan, then part of the Srinagar-based 51 Squadron, downed a Pakistani F-16 but his own MiG-21 Bison was shot down. After ejecting, he landed in Pakistani-controlled territory and was taken into custody.

Abhinandan’s Release Seen as Diplomatic Win for India

Abhinandan’s capture led to intense diplomatic negotiations between the two nations. India reportedly issued a stern warning to Pakistan against mistreatment or use of the pilot as leverage. Eventually, then Prime Minister Imran Khan announced his release, saying it was a “gesture of peace.” The move was interpreted widely as a diplomatic win for India. PM Narendra Modi later stated, “Abhinandan Varthaman made India proud.”

The IAF pilot returned to Indian soil 58 hours after his capture, crossing over at the Attari-Wagah border on the night of February 28.

Meanwhile, social media accounts supporting the Pakistani military have claimed that six soldiers were killed in the Sararogha operation, contradicting the official death toll. Independent confirmation of these figures remains unavailable.

The Pakistani government had earlier designated the TTP as Fitna-al-Khawarij, a theological term to delegitimise them, and ordered all institutions to use the term Khariji to refer to terrorists attacking the state. This linguistic shift was aimed at severing any perceived ideological legitimacy for the group.

Shah’s death highlights the rising internal challenges for Pakistan, which has seen growing militancy within its own borders. The TTP, once tolerated or leveraged for strategic reasons, has now turned into a major domestic threat.