GILGIT: Unidentified armed men opened fire on a Chinese camp near the Diamer-Bhasha Dam site, but fled after personnel of GB Scouts and police retaliated.

No loss of life or damage was reported as the Chinese engineers working on the 21MW Tangir hydropower project in the Tangir area of Diamer, near the dam site, were not present in the camp at the time of the firing that occurred on Monday late night.

Diamer SP Mohammad Ayaz told Dawn that police arrested three suspects and registered an FIR of the incident at the Tangir police station against unidentified persons. He said a joint investigation team has been formed.

According to a press release, GB Home Secretary Rana Mohammad Saleem Afzal and Inspector General Ali Khan Khattak along with officials of Wapda and GB Scouts visited the Chinese camp in the Lark area of Tangir Valley and held a meeting with the elders of a jirga.

The elders condemned the incident and assured the government of cooperation in work on the hydropower project and maintaining law and order. Sources said the jirga also agreed to help police arrest the miscreants behind the attack.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2023