Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, recently attended the funeral of Major Syed Moiz Abbas Shah, the officer who claimed to have captured Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman during the 2019 post-Balakot military tensions. He was hailed for saving Varthaman from a violent mob after the latter’s MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down.

Major Shah, aged 37, was killed in action during a fierce counter-terrorism operation in the Sararogha area of South Waziristan, near the Afghan border. The operation, aimed at dismantling a stronghold of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), resulted in the deaths of several Pakistani soldiers. While some reports mention 14 casualties, including Shah, others suggest six personnel were killed. According to an ISPR statement, the army killed 11 TTP militants and injured seven others in the operation.

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Military Career 

Commissioned into the Pakistan Army in 2011, Shah later joined the elite Special Services Group (SSG) and was posted in the volatile Waziristan region at the time of his death. He gained public recognition after a resurfaced interview with Geo TV, where he narrated the events of February 27, 2019, when he captured Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. Shah described how he reached the crash site and rescued Varthaman from an angry mob, ensuring his safety.

Abhinandan’s Return 

Abhinandan Varthaman was returned to India on March 1, 2019, after being held captive for three days. His conduct in captivity and aerial combat heroism earned him India’s Vir Chakra, and he was later promoted to the rank of Group Captain. His downing of a Pakistani F-16 jet before being shot down himself became a symbol of bravery in India.

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At the funeral, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir stated, "Major Syed Moiz Abbas fought bravely in the face of resistance and ultimately laid down his life in the line of duty." He praised Shah’s patriotism and sacrifice. President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also extended their condolences, referring to Shah’s battle against the ‘Fitna-al-Khwarij’, a term used by Pakistani authorities for TTP militants.