President Zardari Approves Sitara-e-Shujaat for Liaqat Shaheed

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the conferment of the Sitara-e-Shujaat to Liaqat Shaheed in recognition of his remarkable bravery and sacrifice after he lost his life while attempting to stop a suicide bomber near Kohat.

The decision was made on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

Paying tribute to the martyr, President Zardari said Liaqat Shaheed prevented a major tragedy by courageously confronting the suicide attacker and sacrificing his own life in the process.

“Liaqat Shaheed’s courage, sense of duty and sacrifice are a shining example for the nation,” the president stated, adding that the brave citizen displayed unmatched determination by standing in front of the bomber despite the danger.

According to security sources, the incident occurred in the inter-provincial region between Punjab’s Jand tehsil and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khushal Garh Bridge. The suspected militant, reportedly linked to Fitna al-Khawarij, was moving through nearby fields when Liaqat intercepted him.

Liaqat, a retired Pakistan Railways employee and local resident, reportedly stopped the suspect and demanded identification before the attacker detonated explosives. The blast resulted in Liaqat’s martyrdom and also killed the suicide bomber.

President Zardari said the entire nation salutes the martyr for his extraordinary courage and selfless sacrifice, which helped avert what could have been a large-scale tragedy.