Moving Coffins: Are We Giving Our Soldiers the Protection They Deserve?
Opinion
By Major (R) Haroon Rasheed, Defense and strategic analyst specializing in South Asian military dynamics, deterrence strategy, and defense modernization, and a member of the Research and Evaluation Cell for Advancing Basic Amenities.
He is a former Pakistan Army officer with experience and research interests spanning military affairs, strategic studies, geopolitics, national security, conflict history, and regional security dynamics. He is also associated with research and social-development activities. He is a builder, developer, and philanthropist running many madrassas and schools throughout Pakistan.
The Price of Inadequate Protection
The reported IED blast in Panjgur, Balochistan, on 15 October 2026, in which three Pakistan Army soldiers reportedly embraced martyrdom and several others, including a Major, were injured, raises a painful question: are we doing enough to protect our soldiers while they are on the move?
The date and casualty details should be confirmed through reliable reporting or an official statement.
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However, the concern goes far beyond one incident. It concerns every soldier traveling along a dangerous road, patrolling a remote area, or moving between isolated military posts
Our soldiers understand the risks of their profession. Their families, waiting for them at home, also understand those risks, even if they can not express their fears. What they should not have to worry about is whether the vehicle carrying their loved ones offers adequate protection against a foreseable threat.
The expression “moving coffin” may sound harsh, but it reflects a genuine concern when ordinary transport vehicles are used for duties that require substantially greater protection. It is not an attack on the Army or its commanders. It is a call to examine whether our equipment matches the dangers our troops face.
The warning signs are already there
Balochistan has witnessed years of roadside bombings, IED attacks, and ambushes against security personnel. Data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) recorded.
58 attacks against military personnel in the province in 2024, with 118 personnel killed and 117 injured.
For 2025, its database recorded 157 incidents, 297 personnel were killed, and 160 injured.
SATP also recorded 168 IED incidents in Balochistan during 2025, with casualties across its broader reporting categories. These figures are from an independent database, not official Army statistics, and should be interpreted accordingly.
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The figures nevertheless underline the seriousness of the challenge. They do not prove that armored vehicles would have prevented every casualty, but they make one thing clear: protecting personnel against explosive attacks must remain a priority.
We can not eliminate every battlefield risk. We can, however, learn from past incidents and reduce avoidable vulnerabilities.
Why are ordinary vehicles not enough?
A standard pickup or utility vehicle may be perfectly suitable for routine transportation. But when troops are moving through areas where roadside explosives and ambushes are a recognised threat, ordinary transport may not provide sufficient protection.
An IED explosion can cause devastating injuries through blast pressure, flying fragments, and damage to the vehicle's floor and structure. Vehicles designed specifically for mine and blast protection can improve the chances of survival through features such as reinforced hulls, greater ground clearance, and energy-absorbing seating.
Similarly, armored vehicles can offer better protection against small-arms fire, depending on their armor standards and the threat encountered.
Mortar attacks present a different challenge. Neither an armored personnel carrier (APC) nor a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle (MRAP) can guarantee protection against every indirect-fire attack.
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The answer, therefore, is not to expect one vehicle to solve every problem. It is to give soldiers appropriate protection for the missions they undertake.
What Should Pakistan Do?
First, prioritise MRAPs for high-IED-threat duties. These vehicles should be evaluated for patrols and other movements where the risk of roadside explosives is significant. Blast protection, ballistic resistance, reliability, maintenance, and performance in
Balochistan's harsh climate must all be considered.
Second, strengthen domestic production. Pakistan should evaluate locally available protected vehicles, including the Burraq MRAP associated with.
Heavy Industries Taxila, alongside other suitable designs. Independent testing must establish their actual protection levels and operational suitability before procurement decisions are made.
Third, provide appropriate APCs for troop movement. APCs can transport groups of soldiers in a protected environment and should complement MRAPs according to the mission and terrain. The objective is not to purchase the most expensive vehicle but to provide the right protection where it is needed.
Fourth, improve casualty evacuation. Protected ambulances, trained medical personnel, and reliable evacuation arrangements are essential, particularly when troops operate far from major medical facilities.
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Finally, the Army should review the vehicles currently assigned to high-risk duties, establish clear protection standards, and ensure that lessons from previous attacks influence future procurement.
A Soldier's Life Is Worth More Than the Cost of a Vehicle
Armored vehicles are expensive. They consume more fuel, require maintenance, and place additional demands on logistics. These realities can not be ignored, especially when defense resources must meet many competing requirements.
But the cost of losing a trained soldier is also enormous. Behind every martyr is a family that will never again experience life in quite the same way. Behind every injured soldier may be months of treatment, rehabilitation, and uncertainty.
CREDIT: AI-generated image created via Gemini.
No vehicle can guarantee survival, and no responsible assessment should promise otherwise. Yet where better protection can meaningfully reduce the risk, the decision deserves serious consideration.
Conclusion
Bring Our Soldiers Home Alive
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Our soldiers do not ask for an easy life. They accept difficult assignments and face dangers that most people will never experience. They deserve our respect, our prayers, and, equally importantly, equipment suited to the threats they encounter.
The Panjgur incident, once verified, should be another reason to review how troops are protected during movement in Balochistan. The purpose is not to assign blame without evidence but to identify weaknesses and correct them before another family receives heartbreaking news.
A soldier may have to face danger, but he should not face avoidable danger because the vehicle carrying him lacks the protection his mission demands.
The real measure of our military preparedness is not simply how effectively we deploy our troops. It is also how seriously we work to ensure that they return home alive.
Our soldiers are a national asset. Their protection must never become an afterthought.
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By Major (R) Haroon Rasheed Defense and Strategic Analyst specializing in South Asian military dynamics, deterrence strategy, and defense modernization, and a member of the Research and Evaluation Cell for Advancing Basic Amenities.
He is a former Pakistan Army officer with experience and research interests spanning military affairs, strategic studies, geopolitics, national security, conflict history, and regional security dynamics. He is also associated with research and social-development activities. He is a builder and developer and philanthropist running many madrassas and schools throughout Pakistan.
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