'It feels like I've lost a limb': Brother of fallen Pakistani soldier

The echoes of the recent India-Pakistan war have faded, but its destruction has left families devastated. Among them are the Yousufs, whose son, Squadron Leader Usman Yousuf, was killed during an attack on the airbase in Hyderabad, Sindh.

His death not only orphaned his two young daughters but also left his entire family struggling to come to terms with an unbearable loss.

“We were just two brothers,” his elder brother Taimoor Yousuf told Nukta. “Usman was just a year younger than me. It didn’t feel like he was younger—he was my friend. Now, it feels like I’ve lost a limb.”

At least 13 Pakistani soldiers were killed in this month's escalation with India, which involved missile and drone strikes targeting military bases and major cities.

Parents proud of son

Usman's parents, though shattered, find some solace in knowing their son died serving his nation. “They are not doing well, it was a huge shock,” Taimoor says, “but they are proud that their son laid down his life for the country.”

The night he was martyred, Usman had called his wife at 11:30 a.m. He had been on duty continuously for the past two or three days.

Taimoor Yousuf recalls fond memories of his brotherNukta

“He told her, ‘I’m coming home tonight. Let’s have lunch together,’” Taimoor said. “She was waiting for him, thinking he would finally get some rest after eating.”

Around noon, the family received the devastating call. “His wife received the news that Usman was no longer in this world. She fainted from the shock. A neighbor, seeing her condition, called us to break the news.”

'He was full of life'

Usman’s absence is felt in the silence he left behind. “He was full of life,” Taimoor recalls. “He knew how to live—always laughing, always making others laugh. He loved food, especially meat dishes. He was passionate about sports—he played polo, golf, and football exceptionally well. His friends used to call him ‘The Magnet’—wherever he went, people gathered around him. Even in martyrdom, he brought people together one last time.”

Usman married six years ago and left behind two daughters, ages 2 and 5.

His journey to becoming a soldier began when he studied from 8th to 12th grade at PAF College Lower Topa, Murree, and later pursued engineering at PAF Academy Risalpur.

He was posted in Hyderabad in 2023. Before that, he spent three memorable years stationed in Islamabad. “Those were the best years for us because he stayed at home,” says Taimoor. “Before that, he was always away—first for education, then for his career.”

'Brother, where are you?'

Taimoor recalls one particularly haunting memory: “Just a night before the Hyderabad attack, he called me after the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi was attacked. He asked, ‘Brother, where are you?’ I told him, ‘I’m at home.’ And he said, ‘Just stay home. Things aren’t good.’”

He paused, then added, “He was so committed to his work. He never shared much. Even if I asked him something, he would reply, ‘Bhai, aisi baatein mat poochha karo’ (Brother, don’t ask such things).”

The last time they met was during Eid, when Usman came home on a 10-day leave. “We celebrated, laughed, enjoyed every moment. If only we had known, it was the last time we’d see him…”