GILGIT, July 20: The Northern Areas Administration and Northern Areas Development Project (NADP) officials have stated that the attack on the Northern Areas Development Project (NADP) offices by two unidentified persons in Chilas on Thursday was motivated by some vested interests.

They ruled out involvement of any religious group or terrorist attack. The NADP is a joint venture of the Pakistan government, the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Northern Areas Home Secretary Saeed Ahmed Khan said work on the projects in various parts of Diamer district were under way as usual and no paramilitary force had been deployed at the NADP offices at the project sites nor was there any tense situation in Chilas.

He said people behind the incident were stated to be vested interests as the owner of the NADP office in Chilas had personal enmity with several groups.

“They might want to damage his (owner) property to deprive him of Rs70,000 monthly rent for the offices as many people had offered their buildings for the facility,” he added.

Mr Khan said some frustrated and jobless youth might be involved in the attack.

Replying to a question, he said none of the attackers had yet been identified.

NADP Coordinator Inamullah Khan Niazi said personnel working on the UNDP component had suspended their work for the time being due to security reasons, but they would shortly resume the job.