Major Wasif Hussain Shah Shaheed's father honors his son’s unwavering valor and extraordinary sacrifice on the tenth shahadat anniversary, November 15, 2024. His courageous stand in Datta Khel, North Waziristan, serves as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the price paid for peace and security.

It is an internationally acknowledged fact that a strong army is indispensable for ensuring national security, unity, the maintenance of peace, defense against internal and external aggression, preservation of sovereignty, and providing relief during disasters. A militarily weak country cannot survive as a sovereign state. It is a matter of great honor, pride, and gratitude that our armed forces are professionally sound, loyal, gallant, well-disciplined, and possess a passionate spirit and the will of Shahadat (martyrdom) in service to the motherland. 
Thousands of Pakistani soldiers have embraced Shahadat for the solidarity, integrity, peace, prosperity, and defense of Pakistan. In this context, the name of Major Wasif Hussain Shah Shaheed (S.Bt) will be remembered and honored among these martyrs who created a saga of bravery, valor, and loyalty by recapturing the Zaram Sar area of Datta Khel, North Waziristan, and embracing Shahadat while leading from the front against well-trained terrorists armed with modern weapons. The extraordinary legacy of Major Wasif Hussain Shah Shaheed (S.Bt), along with other details, is recounted below.
Major Wasif Hussain Shah Shaheed (S.Bt) completed his F.Sc from F.G College Mangla Cantt and joined the 106th Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Long Course (LC) after meeting all the requirements. He graduated from PMA in 2002 and joined the Baloch Regiment of the Pakistan Army. He served in various regions, including Haji Pir (Bagh), Azad Kashmir, Balakot Hazara, Swat, Kharian, Gujranwala, Skardu, and Chaman Quetta. His contributions in Swat under Operation Raah-e-Nijaat were praised by his superiors.
Major Wasif also served in the Congo under the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), displaying exceptional courage, zeal, professionalism, and hospitality. For his outstanding service, he was affectionately referred to as the “King of Mwanga”.
Major Wasif Shaheed returned to Pakistan from the Congo mission in 2014 and was attached to the Azad Kashmir Regimental Centre in Attock for two years. However, after about ten months, he was directed to report to North Waziristan. Major Wasif promptly reported for duty on July 20, 2014, in North Waziristan. There, he successfully led various operations under Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
 
مٹی کی محبت میں ہم اشفتہ سروں نے
وہ قرض اتارے ہیں کہ واجب بھی نہ تھے

(In our love for the soil, we, the wild-headed ones,
Have repaid debts that were not even due)

Zaram Sar Ridge, located about 10 km from the Afghan border, was a highly sensitive area and a safe haven for terrorists in Datta Khel, North Waziristan. Terrorists had targeted various locations from this vantage point, prompting the Pakistan Army to plan its clearance since 2008. This challenging and vital mission was entrusted to Major Wasif Hussain Shah and his company. Major Wasif successfully recaptured the area on October 24-25, 2014. For this heroic victory, he is honored as the “Conqueror of Zaram Sar.” To enhance defense strategies, Major Wasif established three posts in the newly recaptured area.
On November 15, 2014, at around 17:00 hours, approximately 400 well-trained terrorists, equipped with modern weapons, launched a sudden attack from multiple directions on one of the posts. This post was located about 3 km from Major Wasif’s command post and 7 km from the battalion headquarters in Datta Khel. Major Wasif, along with four soldiers, quickly moved toward the besieged post, defending it fiercely and saving the lives of his men, especially given that beheadings by terrorists were common at the time. Despite being outnumbered, he managed to force the terrorists to retreat, inflicting heavy losses on them.
Due to the battle, some soldiers at the attacked post were injured. Disregarding his own safety, Major Wasif engaged the terrorists directly. When he ran out of ammunition, he took the gun of an injured soldier and continued fighting. Despite being hit by two bullets—one in his shoulder and another in the clavicle—Major Wasif, with a steely resolve and extraordinary endurance, kept leading the defense. At around 19:30 hours, he was struck by a splinter from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fired by the terrorists, which pierced through his upper jaw and neck, ultimately leading to his Shahadat.
Subedar Jahangir Ahmed, displaying extraordinary bravery, fought gallantly and also embraced Shahadat, along with Naik Muhammad Javaid Akhtar, Sepoy Nazir Ahmed, Sepoy Muhammad Nawaz, and Sepoy Ejaz Ahmed.
This engagement inflicted significant losses on the terrorists but came at the cost of one major, one junior commissioned officer (JCO), one non-commissioned officer (NCO), and four soldiers of the Pakistan Army. Major Wasif Shah, the driving force behind this successful operation, was posthumously awarded the Sitara-e-Basalat. His eternal reward, however, rests with God.
As we commemorate the 10th anniversary of Major Wasif Hussain Shah Shaheed’s martyrdom on November 15, 2024, we honor his extraordinary courage and unwavering dedication to his country. This article stands as a heartfelt tribute to a true warrior and martyr of the Pakistan Army, whose legacy of bravery continues to inspire us. Just as the blooms of spring remember the sacrifices that nourish them, we, too, hold his memory close, ensuring that his spirit remains alive in our hearts and in the fabric of our nation.
ہمارا خون بھی شامل ہے تزین گلستان میں
ہمیں بھی یاد رکھنا چمن میں جب بہار آئے

(Our blood is also a part of adorning the garden;
Remember us in the garden when spring arrives)