GILGIT: Two children of a family were killed while six others were hospitalised after consuming contaminated food during Iftar on Monday in Gilgit Baltistan’s Chilas, officials said on Tuesday.

Rescue 1122 reported that all family members in the Tharli area of Chilas fainted after having an Iftar meal.

A rescue official said that all eight family members were taken to the Chilas regional headquarters hospital in an unconscious state, where 10-year-old Imtiaz Ali died on Monday night and his three-year-old sister Atia Bibi passed away on Tuesday morning.

“The others are still being treated,” he said.

Initially, a spokesperson for the Diamer district administration said it was unclear what was mixed in the food which the family ate.

However, local police later alleged that the Chilas resident, identified as Gulab Shah, whose family was poisoned had two wives living under the same roof.

Mr Shah’s second wife, who left with her only child for her parents’ home just before the others had the meal may have mixed the poison in the Iftar meal.

The six hospitalised family members were identified as Gulab Shah, Nakir, Gul Sherin, Nahida, six-year-old Nazia and three-year-old Nasir.

The police also said Shah had six children from his first wife and one from his second.

Police sources said an investigation is underway and the facts would be unearthed after an investigation.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2025