Pakistan Army Officer Who Claimed To Capture Abhinandan Varthaman Killed In Encounter

Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman became a national hero in 2019 during the India-Pakistan military standoff following the Pulwama terror attack.

The person who claimed to have captured Wing Commander Abhinandan has died.

Source : social media

Major Moiz Abbas Shah of the Pakistan Army, who claimed to have captured Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in 2019, was killed in a gunfight with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in South Waziristan. The 37-year-old officer from Chakwal, serving in the elite Special Service Group (SSG), was leading an anti-terror operation when he was fatally shot, along with Lance Naik Jibranullah, according to a statement issued by the Pakistani Army.

The incident underscores Pakistan’s longstanding and complex ties with militant groups operating within its borders. Once sheltered and trained by the Pakistani state, the TTP has now become a growing threat to its own security apparatus, targeting both civilians and security personnel.

Abhinandan Varthaman Captured In 2019

The officer became a national hero in 2019 during the India-Pakistan military standoff following the Pulwama terror attack. During a retaliatory air operation post-Balakot airstrikes, Abhinandan was flying a MiG-21 Bison jet and engaged in a dogfight with Pakistani Air Force jets.

His aircraft was shot down, and he ejected into Pakistan-occupied territory. He was captured by the Pakistani military.

TTP’s Origins And Evolution

TTP was formed in 2007 in response to the Pakistani military’s crackdown on Islamabad’s Lal Masjid (Red Mosque). One of its early ideologues, Qari Hussain Mehsud, formerly a Jaish-e-Mohammed commander, trained suicide bombers for both TTP and Jaish.

Several top TTP leaders, including current chief Noor Wali Mehsud, received jihadist training in camps operated by Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi with alleged support from the ISI. Many TTP members were also groomed to target Pakistan’s Shia minority.

This year alone, 116 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in TTP attacks, following the deaths of over 1,200 military and police personnel in 2024.