Pakistan Army’s Major Muhammad Asghar dies of coronavirus

Rawalpindi: The Pakistan Army on Sunday said a major died of the coronavirus near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.

According to military’s media wing, Major Muhammad Asghar was deployed at the Torkham border to oversee the screening of the people and movement of trucks.

“Major Muhammad Asghar laid his life in the line of duty at Torkham Border in fight against COVID-19. He was managing Torkham Border to ensure screening of people and move of logistic convoys to Afghanistan,” said a statement issued by the army.

Major Asghar is the first casualty from the coronavirus that the country’s armed forces have taken during the pandemic.

Asghar was moved to a hospital in Peshawar after he complained of breathing problems. The army said the officer was on the ventilator before he died.

“There is no cause bigger than serving the nation,” said the statement.