A Pakistan Army soldier has embraced martyrdom in a firing-and-blast attack in North Waziristan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced on Saturday.

According to the Army’s media wing, 26-year-old Amil Shah embraced martyrdom when a patrolling vehicle was targeted with an improvised explosive device (IED) and firing in Boya area of North Waziristan.

“Terrorist activities in North Waziristan have increased lately. Over the last month, five soldiers have been martyred and 31 injured due to terrorist activities,” read an ISPR statement.

The military’s media wing linked the attack with the recent Khar Qamar check post incident, saying that “the arrest of facilitators of these terrorist activities had led to the incident on May 25.”

On Sunday, the ISPR had released a statement saying that a check post in the area was assaulted by a group and in an exchange of fire, three people were killed while 15 were injured ─ including five soldiers.

According to the statement, MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir ─ both of whom are leaders of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) ─ were leading the group.

##Bilawal condemns attack

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari condemned the attack on army vehicle, saying that the nation stood by the martyred soldier’s family in this time of grief.

“Another soldier sacrificed his life for the country today,” he said in a statement released today.

“Terrorists want to snatch the peace that was established by the sacrifices of thousands of soldiers and civilians,” Bilawal said and added that PPP stood by the armed forces in the fight against terrorism.