GILGIT: Six people including a woman were killed and seven others injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on a passenger vehicle in Naltar valley near here on Thursday.

According to police, a van carrying 18 local passengers including women was on its way to Naltar from Gilgit town. At about 3pm, unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle in the Naltar area.

Gilgit SSP Mirza Hasan told Dawn that six local residents including a woman were killed in the incident, while seven passengers sustained injuries.

The injured were shifted to City Hospital Gilgit by police and Rescue 1122 personnel. SSP Hasan said they were out of danger and were under treatment.

The SSP claimed that three suspects involved in the attacks were arrested. He said that the arrested persons identified as Sharifuddin, Tahir Hussain and Wajid Hussain were residents of Naltar.

According to a press release issued by DIG Awais Ahmed, the incident was result of an old enmity. He said the culprits would be brought to justice to ensure maintenance of law and order in the region.

The police high-ups reached Naltar soon after the incident. The teams of Counter-Terrorism Department conducted search operation in the area.

The names of the deceased and injured could not be ascertained immediately.

Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan took notice of the incident and directed law enforcement agencies to arrest the culprits.

A large number of people gathered outside Chief Minister’s House and staged protest against the incident. They blocked the road and chanted slogans against the government. They demanded justice for the victims and exemplary punishment for the culprits.

Similarly, local people blocked Karakoram Highway in Sultanabad. They burnt tyres on the road and chanted slogans against government. According to a press release, the chief minister showed sorrow over the incident and expressed sympathy with the bereaved families.

He directed police, Rangers and GB Scouts to utilise all their resources to arrest the people involved in the incident. He directed the hospital administration to provide quality treatment to the injured.

The chief minister appealed to the people to cooperate with government to maintain law and order in the region. He wowed to deal the murders with an iron hand.

Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon also sought report of the incident from the quarters concerned.

GB Assembly Speaker Amjad Hussain Zaidi, Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmed, cabinet members and political leaders including PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned the incident and expressed sympathy with the affected families.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2021