Captain Rooh Ullah Shaheed

Captain Rooh Ullah, who was 26-years-old, was a resident of Ocha Wala area of Shabqadar Tehsil in Charsadda. Rooh Ullah Shaheed is survived by four siblings, including three brothers and a sister, of whom he was the eldest.

He completed his primary education from Islamia Collegiate School and received secondary education from the Hayatabad Medical College.

His father, Najibullah Mohmand, always wanted his son to become a doctor but Rooh Ullah was simply obsessed with serving his country’s armed forces. He joined the army as a commissioned officer in 2009 and after completing military training from PMA Kakul L/C 125 in 2011, he was commissioned into the military’s 50th Baloch Regiment.

Captain Rooh Ullah initially served in Okara. There, he joined the elite commando group of the Pakistan Army after which he was sent to Peshawar to carry out Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs) during the military’s operation against terrorists. Rohullah participated in major operations, including the Army Public School Peshawar, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda and the Christian Colony attack in Warsak.

The 26-year-old was transferred to Balochistan on September 28 where he laid down his life while clearing the area of terrorists who had stormed the police training centre.

 According to his cousin and childhood friend, Ehtisham Mohmand; He was the most joyful person of our family. He always wanted to become an officer of the army. Whenever we called him, he asked us not to disturb him during duty hours and promised he would take a few days off the next month to talk about things other than work.”

Captain Rooh Ullah selflessly sacrificed himself so that scores of other police cadets could live another day. This account was shared by a police cadet who had survived through the horror of October 24, when militants stormed the Police Training Centre in Quetta. Recalling the incident, according to media sources, the police cadet claimed that one suicide bomber managed to enter a roomful of cadets and hide with them inside. 

"The suicide bomber had come inside our room and hide himself beneath a charpoye," he said. "It was pitching dark and we thought he was also one of the cadets and not a suicide bomber. It was then that the door opened and Captain Rooh Ullah came inside," he added. 

The survivor narrated how Captain Rooh Ullah told them all that he was an SSG soldier, to which everyone responded that they were police cadets.

"He (Captain Rooh Ullah Shaheed) then told us to come out of the room with our hands up," he said. "I can still remember his voice then as he said to us, 'Who is that beneath the charpoye'. Saying that, he kicked the charpoye and the suicide bomber, who was still hiding under it, was exposed. Captain Rooh Ullah threw himself at the suicide bomber without a second's delay and all I remember then was a blast," the cadet revealed.

The survivor then recounted how they all lost their consciousness and later came to know that the SSG soldier's heroic act had claimed his life but had saved lots of others. He thanked Captain Rooh Ullah Shaheed for rendering the ultimate sacrifice and saluted him for his bravery. 

61 security officials were martyred in the attack which took place on Monday night and more than 150 were injured in the incident. 

Army chief General Raheel Shrif has awarded Captain Rooh Ullah with the fourth highest military award of Pakistan Tamgha-e-Jurat (Medal of Courage) for showing extraordinary gallant and for distinguished service performed in combat operations. RIP Captain