Gun Attack
The Diamer police filed a First Information Report (FIR) and apprehended six suspects in connection with the attack on an Islamabad-bound bus in Gilgit-Baltistan’s (GB) Chilas. The incident occurred a day earlier, resulting in the loss of nine lives, including two soldiers, and injuring 21 passengers. Unknown gunmen targeted the bus from nearby hills, causing it to collide with a goods truck. The interior minister of GB labeled the attack as terrorism, and so far, no group has claimed responsibility.
The Diamer Station House Officer Azmat Shah registered a case against unknown miscreants, and six suspects were taken into custody at two police stations. All entry and exit points of GB were closed, and security was on high alert, with search operations underway in Diamer. Traffic on the Karakoram Highway remained suspended.
Chilas Assistant Commissioner Sadaqat Ali reported that funeral prayers for the deceased were offered with GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan and top army officials in attendance. The bodies were then dispatched to their hometowns by Rescue 1122. Stranded passengers in Bisham, Kohistan, and other areas were provided free accommodation.
Protests erupted in Chilas and Hunza, demanding immediate action and the arrest of the culprits. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar affirmed that anti-state elements would not be allowed to sabotage peace in GB. He condemned the incident, expressing deep grief over the martyrdom of innocent citizens and praying for the patience of the bereaved families. Kakar stated that targeting unarmed civilians was proof of terrorists’ cowardice and reiterated the commitment to continue the war against terrorism until its complete elimination.
Interim Interior Minister Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti also strongly condemned the firing incident, describing it as a cowardly act by anti-national elements seeking to disrupt GB’s peace. Bugti emphasized that such acts would not deter the nation’s resolve in the war against terrorism. Overall, six arrested after gun attack on Islamabad-bound bus in GB’s Chilas; FIR filed by Diamer police against suspects.
