Grief and Heroism: Quetta Mourns the Loss of Brave Police Officer Abdul Wali Tanoli

Quetta – The pain of losing a son is beyond words, says the grieving father of Sub-Inspector Abdul Wali Tanoli, one of three police officers gunned down in a recent terror attack in Quetta. The once joyful home, which just weeks ago celebrated Wali’s wedding, is now cloaked in mourning and silence.
Sub-Inspector Abdul Wali Tanoli, along with constables Mukhtiar Ahmed and Abdul Rehman, was fatally shot by unknown militants on April 9 while on duty in the New Sariab area along Mastung Road. All three were critically injured and succumbed to their wounds in the hospital. Wali, just 31 years old, had been married for only a month and a half.
“He always said, ‘Father, when death comes, it will find you anywhere,’” recalled his father, Fayaz Ahmed. Wali had rushed his wedding due to his aunt’s illness, marrying her daughter out of both love and duty. Shortly after the wedding, he left his bride at her mother’s home so she could care for her ailing parent.
“Wali was my dearest son. I fulfilled every wish of his,” said Fayaz, tearfully. “When he left for night duty, I would recite Ayat-ul-Kursi and Durood Sharif for his safety. When I heard the sound of his car returning in the morning, my heart would finally be at peace.”
A graduate of BUITEMS with a BBA degree, Wali joined the police force as an Assistant Sub-Inspector in 2017 through the Public Service Commission and was promoted to Sub-Inspector in 2024. After his promotion, he was assigned to the highly sensitive Sariab area, a decision he discussed with his father beforehand.
His cousin, Muhammad Zeeshan, remembered him as a kind, respectful, and determined individual. “He was younger than me but always sought my advice about education and career. When police jobs were announced, he said, ‘I will pass the exam and prove myself’—and he did.”
Additional SHO Sohail Nadeem, Wali’s colleague, described him as a dutiful and well-mannered officer who never received a single complaint. “I was at the scene when the shooting occurred. We rushed all three officers to the hospital, but none of them survived.”
Recent months have seen a disturbing surge in attacks on police personnel in Balochistan. In March, four police officers were targeted in Nushki, and in April, a bombing in Mastung claimed the lives of three and injured 16 others.
According to official reports, more than 1,000 police officers and personnel have lost their lives in Balochistan since 2005 due to targeted killings, bombings, and other acts of terrorism.
Despite the irreparable loss, Fayaz Ahmed finds solace in his son’s martyrdom. “It feels like I’ve lost a part of myself. But my heart is at peace knowing he died protecting others. He embraced a death that brought honor to our family.”