Captain Dr. Noman Saleem — A Detailed Tribute

The brave son of Mianwali who embraced shahadat in Kurram on 29 October 2025.

Captain Dr. Noman Saleem (age 24), a young medical officer of the Pakistan Army and a son of Mianwali, laid down his life during an intelligence-based operation in Kurram on 29 October 2025. He was among six soldiers martyred in the operation; Captain Noman not only provided medical aid to his colleagues under fire but engaged the enemy courageously and embraced martyrdom in the line of duty.

Early life and family

Captain Dr. Noman Saleem hailed from Khudozai (Kotki/Bairuni Chapri) in the Mianwali area. He was the son of Retired Sepoy Muhammad Saleem, a soldier whose years of sacrifice and limited means did not prevent him from dreaming big for his children. That dream — to educate his son as a physician — came true when Noman gained admission to Army Medical College on merit and later graduated MBBS in 2023. Local accounts and tributes highlight the family’s humble background and their deep pride in Noman’s achievements.

Education and medical career

• 2018 — Secured admission to Army Medical College (AMC) on merit.
• 2023 — Completed MBBS from AMC.
• 2024 — Commissioned into the Pakistan Army as a Captain (Medical Officer) and posted initially to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) / Military Hospital Rawalpindi, where his professional conduct and compassion were noted by colleagues.
  Multiple reports and social posts underline that Noman was admired for his discipline and medical skill, attributes that earned him frontline deployment within a short period of joining the service.

Deployment to Kurram and the operation of 29 October 2025

Captain Noman was deployed to the Kurram area as part of routine counter-terrorism operations. On 29 October 2025, security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation (IBO) against militants (referred to in official language as Fitna al-Khawarij). During an intense exchange of fire in the Dogar/central Kurram area, six soldiers were martyred — including Captain Dr. Noman Saleem — while seven militants were reported killed. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement emphasized that Captain Noman continued to provide medical aid while also fighting bravely alongside his unit.

How he fought and fell

Eyewitnesses, ISPR briefings, and multiple press reports agreed on the same core elements: Captain Noman was performing the duties of a medical officer — treating and evacuating wounded — when his team was ambushed. Instead of withdrawing, he reportedly engaged the enemy and continued to provide medical cover to his comrades until he fell in action. Contemporary coverage and official wording highlighted both his role as a healer and his courage as a soldier.

Funeral, honors and local mourning

MNA AHSAN JAMAL ,GOC AND  MUHAMMAD SALEEM FATHER OF CAPT NOMAN AT HIS FUNERAL 

Captain Noman’s funeral prayer was held in his ancestral area in Isa Khel / Khudozai, Mianwali, and he was laid to rest with full military honours. Senior military officers — including the local GOC and other dignitaries — attended the funeral and presented the national flag and military memorial mementos to the bereaved family. Social media clips and photos from the funeral were widely shared and show large public turnout and formal military salute ceremonies.

Personal recollections and community memory

Local friends and neighbors recalled him as a bright student — a former pupil of Superior College, Mianwali — who used to visit and help around the neighborhood during his youth. Testimonials shared on social platforms describe a warm, smiling young man who returned the love of his community with service to the nation. These human details — family anecdotes, school memories, and images from his college days — amplified the public grief and pride across Mianwali and the wider country.

Wider significance and reactions

National and regional news outlets, ISPR, and public pages on social media paid tributes, framing Captain Noman’s sacrifice as emblematic of the new generation of Pakistan’s armed forces: technically trained, professionally competent, and morally committed. The incident also renewed public calls for sustained operations against militant groups and for honoring the families of the martyred.

Captain Dr. Noman Saleem’s life — from a soldier’s modest home in Mianwali to Army Medical College and then to the frontlines in Kurram — is a story of merit, sacrifice, and patriotism. He embodied both the healing duty of a doctor and the fighting courage of a soldier. His martyrdom at 24 leaves a wound in his family and community but also a legacy that will inspire future generations to serve with honour.

May Allah raise his rank in Jannah, grant sabr to his family, and keep his memory alive among the people of Mianwali and Pakistan. Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un.