GILGIT: The police in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) claimed to have thwarted a terrorist plot in the city when the bomb disposal squad successfully deactivated an improvised explosive device (IED) discovered under the Bailey Bridge in Chinar Bagh on Thursday.

According to a press release from GB police, at around 11:15am on Thursday, the Gilgit Control Special Branch received information about a suspicious bag under the Chinar Bagh Bailey Bridge.

The special branch staff, equipped with full gear, promptly arrived at the location and located a suspicious bag at the entrance of the bridge on the central police office side.

Both bridges spanning the Ghizer River in Chinar Bagh Gilgit, namely the Bailey Bridge and a wooden bridge, were closed to all traffic.

The bomb disposal unit (BDU) personnel carefully moved the suspicious bag to the main road using a hook-and-line kit. Wearing specialised suits, the BDU staff then safely defused the improvised explosive device (IED) by hand entry.

The remote-controlled IED had two electronic detonators, connected to power through an electric receiver device, and weighed about 3.5kg.

SSP Gilgit, Muhammad Ayaz, told Dawn that the police have started investigating the incident from multiple angles, adding that the motives behind the attempt are unknown.

“A joint investigation team will be formed, experts will be invited, and the device will be sent to a forensic laboratory to investigate its potential for disaster and motives,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2024